


Blue Eyed Dragon

by LiaBeth



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-30
Updated: 2013-07-30
Packaged: 2017-12-21 19:58:09
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 40,144
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/904276
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LiaBeth/pseuds/LiaBeth
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A love story, set 8 years post-Hogwarts. It's not compliant at all.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Blue Eyed Dragon

Harry bolted upright in his bed dripping with sweat and breathing heavily. The flashbacks were still more vivid than ever. He constantly saw the faces of his friends through flashes of light; he heard their voices carry over the curses that hundreds of people were yelling all at once. And he saw them fall. Time and time again he saw a flash of green light and Percy Weasley falling to the ground. Another flash and Oliver Wood fell. Another flash; Angelina Johnson… He’d been having the flashbacks for weeks now and each day they got more and more vivid and terrifying. But no flashback frightened him more than those where he saw himself killing Lord Voldemort.  
  
The wizarding world before and during the war was a horrifying place. Everyone accused everyone else of being a Death Eater. Families, friends, wives, husbands, mothers, fathers, sons and daughters turned on each other. Families were torn to pieces; lifelong friendships were destroyed beyond repair. In the end everyone turned to Harry Potter to save their world and their lives. Harry rose to the occasion, of course, but at a very high price.  
  
Voldemort’s death hadn’t changed the wizarding world at first. But it had changed Harry. After the final battle, Harry had started to pull away from Ron and Hermione. As the years went on, accusations died down, the hysteria from the war fizzed out and Harry slowly began spending time with his friends again. But inside, Harry was a wreck. The memories of the battles were tearing him apart and he had no way to release the pressure.  
  
Harry climbed out of bed.  
  
 _There goes the good night’s sleep I need…_  he thought.  
  
He’d had a rough week. Classes were about to begin and Harry was busy researching ways to deflect the new curses that were appearing around England lately.  
  
Harry threw on a pair of faded blue jeans and a thin, white t-shirt, grabbed his Firebolt4185 and headed out for the Quidditch pitch. He loved flying at night; it calmed him and let his thoughts flow freely.  
  
Harry mounted his broom and took off. He soaked in the freedom he felt; the wind rushing through his already messy hair, having nothing beneath his feet…Harry couldn’t get enough of it.  
  
As Harry soared, he thought,  _I need to get these nightmares under control! I’ll go insane if I don’t. Not to mention my students will suffer…Think Potter!_  
  
Out of the corner of his eye, Harry saw someone walking onto the Quidditch pitch. As soon as he saw the slicked back, blond hair, Harry knew it was Malfoy.   
  
 _What’s he doing up so late?_  
  
***   
  
Draco mounted his Nimbus2284 and drifted deep into his thoughts.   
  
 _(flashback)_ _  
  
 _“He’s in there,” Draco said reluctantly, pointing to the door._  
  
 _Three men in black, hooded robes violently pushed their way past him. Then came the screams._  
  
 _“No! You’ve got it all wrong! Draco! How could you?” Draco cringed; he knew what he’d just done._  
  
 _“Avada Kedavra!”_  
  
 _He saw a quick flash of green light and he fell to his knees; tears were streaming down his cheeks._  
  
 _(end flashback)__  
  
Draco shook his head. That had been eight years ago. He hated this time of year because no matter how long ago it was, Draco still couldn’t get rid of the nightmares.  
  
Draco soared higher and tried to focus on the Quidditch pitch below him. He saw Harry and groaned.   
  
 _Not now... Please. Just not now…_  
  
But it was too late. Harry had spotted him and was headed his way.   
  
“Not now, Potter. I’m not in the mood.”  
  
“I just wanted to make sure you’re alright.”  
  
“I’m fine,” he replied coldly.  
  
“Really? Not many people fly at two in the morning when they’re ‘fine’.”  
  
“Oh yeah? Then what’s your excuse?”  
  
“Couldn’t sleep. Too many nightmares about the battles.”  
  
“Oh. I’m sorry.”  
  
“Me too. So what about you? What makes you so ‘fine’ that your last resort was to go flying on a dreadfully hot summer night at two in the morning?”   
  
Draco stared at Harry for a moment, trying to get a sense of where this would lead.   
  
“I’m only here to listen, Draco…”  
  
“Nightmares about Lucius, alright!” Draco choked back a sob. “I gave him up, Harry. I gave up my  _father_  to three Death Eaters.” Everything started to pour out and Draco couldn’t stop it. “I let them into the Manor. I led them to the upstairs guest bedroom, I pointed to the magical door, I listened to them torture him, I listened to his screams for help and I listened to them kill my father! And I did nothing about it!” Draco was screaming at the top of his lungs. “I might as well have yelled the words myself!” He could no longer control his tears. “I killed my father.  _That_  is what has me awake at two in the bloody morning!”  
  
All Harry could do was stare at Draco. He’d had no idea that Draco had gone through that. As Draco turned and started back towards the castle, Harry said,  
  
“Draco, wait.”  
  
Draco stopped, but he didn’t turn around. “Why should I, Potter? You can’t change what happened. You can’t make it so they didn’t kill Lucius that day.” Draco seemed to be on the verge of tears. “You can’t change that it was me who let them!”  
  
“You didn’t  _let_  them, Draco.”  
  
Draco now turned to face Harry. “I could have tried to stop them, Harry. I could have tried to save him…I could have tried  _something_.” Draco’s hands balled themselves into fists. “Anything.”  
  
“If you’d gone bounding in there they would have killed you, too! If you didn’t let them into the Manor they would have found another way and another day! And then Voldemort would have gone after you! Don’t you get it, Draco? There’s nothing you could have done! Voldemort was too powerful at the end of the war! If we hadn’t banned together like we did, he’d probably have killed everyone and taken over the wizarding world!” Harry pointed out more angrily than he intended; he was angry with Draco for blaming himself.  
  
Draco was left speechless. In the back of his mind, he knew Harry was right but he couldn’t help what he felt in his heart: that he’d killed his father.   
  
“I’m not going to pretend that I know how you feel or what this did to you but you know where to find me if you want to talk or need a shoulder to cry on… I want to be your friend, Draco. We’re not silly eleven-year-old boys anymore. Lets not act like we are.”  
  
Draco turned and flew at top speed back to the castle before Harry could see the tears that were beginning to stream down his cheeks.  
  
Draco burst into his sleeping quarters and tossed his robes over his armchair.  
  
“Get it together, Malfoy! Get it to-bloody-gether!” He pulled out his journal, a dark green dragon-skin book, sat down at his desk and began to write.  
  
 _\--I miss Lucius. Everyone here at Hogwarts always thought that we were never close, but we were! I told Father everything. And the only reason he didn’t do the same was to protect me. When I finally had the chance to protect him, I failed. I let him down. I’m such an arse! A git! A prat! And what was with me tonight? Was I that close to exploding that I had to turn to Harry Potter, the bloody Boy Who Lived, for some sort of twisted support? I need a weekend back at the Manor. A day…3 hours even! –-_  
  
Draco sighed. He had been longing to escape to the Manor’s library for weeks now. He loved the big, cold and drafty room. He’d sit a Lucius’ desk, which sat in the middle of the room and write for hours. Draco loved to be surrounded by the thousands of books that lined the walls and one of his favorite things to do when he had problems to sort through was sit in the oversized black leather armchair and stare into a blazing, crackling fire until the wee hours of the morning.  
  
 _Just go talk to him, Malfoy!_ Said a voice at the back of his head. Oh, how he hated that voice. He shook his head. How could he? How could he go running to his childhood enemy looking for friendship and support?  _Get over yourself! Just get your arse out of this chair and go talk to him! What harm can it do? What’s the worst he could do? Slam the door in your face?_ Draco rubbed his temples trying to get rid of the menacing thoughts. He got up, put his robes back on and headed out into the castle corridors. Flying hadn’t helped him to get his mind off Lucius but maybe walking would.  
  
As he walked through the dark hallways, Draco couldn’t help but think about what Harry had said to him on the Quidditch pitch earlier.  _He is right. We’re not eleven-year-old boys; this isn’t our first year here anymore. And besides, we’re colleagues now; not classmates…_  Draco realized he had no clue where in the castle he was. He looked around him a bit. As he turned to his left, he realized he was standing at Harry’s door.   
  
 _It’s now or never, Malfoy. Just knock! You’ll regret it if you don’t!_  
  
Gathering up all his courage, Draco knocked on the door softly.

  
***  
  
Harry walked into his sleeping quarters and collapsed onto his bed. He was worried about Draco. In all the years that they had known each other, Harry had never seen him like this. He’d never seen him so emotional about anything and it surprised Harry that it was Lucius who had made Draco show his vulnerability so openly. Harry sighed. As much as he wanted to help Draco, there was nothing he could do until Draco reached out to him. Feeling tired and defeated, Harry turned over and tried to fall back asleep.  
  
Just as Harry had slipped into unconsciousness, someone knocked on his door. He groaned and, realizing he wasn’t going to sleep, he got up and answered the door.  
  
“Draco. I-I didn’t think you’d take me up on my offer…”  
  
“I can leave,” Draco said as he started to turn. “I just thought¯”  
  
“No, no. Don’t be silly. Come in.”  
  
“Are you sure? I mean, if you were sleeping I can¯”  
  
“Draco. Shut your bloody trap and come inside. It’d be silly to have a conversation while standing in my doorway and you going back down to the dungeons would make it rather difficult.” Harry flashed Draco a quick grin as he stepped inside. Draco grinned shyly back.  
  
“Did you mean what you said?” he asked, averting Harry’s gaze.  
  
“Which part of what I said?” Harry asked, then seeing that Draco was still standing up, added, “And you don’t have to stand. Please. Sit down.” Draco sat down at Harry’s desk.  
  
“The part where you said you wanted to be my friend… Did you mean it?” Harry stared at him for a moment, not saying anything.  
  
“You don’t have to say you did if you really didn’t, Potter.” Draco’s voice now had a note of panic in it in fear that he might have misunderstood Harry’s words. “But I just needed to know.”  
  
Harry smiled. “Of course I meant it. Merlin, Draco. I wouldn’t have said it if I didn’t mean it.” Harry sat on the edge of his bed, only half believing what he was saying. And what he was hearing. “Look. I don’t expect you to spill your guts to me or trust me at all or consider me a best friend; especially after our history but¯” Draco burst into tears. “I…I’m sorry if what I said upset you, Draco. I… I just…” Harry handed Draco a tissue. He had no idea what to say or do. “…Just wanted to reassure you that what I said was true.” Harry stood next to Draco with his hand on his shoulder, hoping he’d break the uncomfortable silence or that he’d suddenly know what to do or say to make Draco feel better.  
  
“Why are you being so nice to me, Potter?” Draco asked when he was able to talk. “After everything that I said and did to you in school…why wouldn’t you just laugh in my face and tell me to bugger off?”  
  
“Is that what you want me to do? Would it make you feel better if I did?” Draco glared up at Harry. Chuckling softly Harry said, “I’m just not a mean person, Draco. Even if I could bring myself to laugh at you -if you were to ask me for help- I’d feel so guilty that I’d spend days apologizing and trying to get you to open up to me again. Besides, I figure you must feel as if you’re stuck between a rock and a hard place if you turned to me at all.”  
  
Draco sighed as he debated on whether or not he should tell Harry what was going on. His heart won out. “I do.”  
  
“Then I’m here to listen.”  
  
“Mind not sleeping tonight?” Harry smiled softly.   
  
“Sleep? What’s that?”

*** 

Headmistress McGonagall rushed about her office frantically. She’d just received an urgent owl from the Minster of Magic.   
  
 _Minerva,_ _  
  
 _It was brought to my attention not five minutes ago that one of your professors is in grave danger. It seems that three of Voldemort’s top-ranked Death Eaters are planning to attack Draco Malfoy in the coming weeks. The when, where and how are still unknown at this time and I, of course, will send another owl as soon as I have any more information. Until then you must let Mr. Malfoy know what information we already have, little as it may be._  
  
 _Yours Truly,_  
 _Arthur Weasley__  
  
The Headmistress was beside herself. As soon as she had read the letter she had personally gone looking for Draco. Now, five hours later, she was beginning to worry.  _Where on Earth could he be? He’s always on the grounds two weeks before the start of term! What if something happened to him? What if we’re too late?!_ Professor McGonagall gasped out loud at her last thought. In desperation she sat down at her desk, pulled out a piece of parchment and a quill and began to write.   
  
 _Draco,_ _  
  
 _I’m sorry to have to do this in a letter, but there was no other way-I looked all over the castle for you with no luck. The Minister of Magic has just sent me an owl telling me that there are rumors of three, high-ranking former Death Eaters planning an attack on you. No one knows when, where, why or how yet but as soon as it becomes known, then you of course will know. If you feel that you cannot teach your classes, please come to me immediately so I can contact Severus to help us out. If there’s anything I can do, please let me know._  
  
 _Minerva__  
  
She attached the letter to the leg of her owl and watched it fly off into the darkness.  
  
***  
  
Draco drew in a long, deep breath. “When we were in our fifth year, Lucius started training me. He trained me to defend myself against unfriendly curses, what curses were the most useful and in what situations; he taught me to Apparate…he taught me the Unforgivable Curses, Harry. At 15 he taught me how to  _kill_  someone with two words and a flick of my wrist.  
  
“A week before my 16th birthday Lucius told me that I’d have to go in front of Voldemort to claim my loyalty to him and the Dark side. And so I could receive my Dark Mark. I was scared.” Draco shivered. “I didn’t  _want_  to fight for the Dark side. I knew that to prove my loyalty to Voldemort, I’d have to kill someone and I just don’t have that in me. I’m not evil like Lucius is. I know I can act like I am but―”  
  
“No you don't," Harry interjected. “You act like a prat. And you frequently make an arse of yourself, but you don’t act evil. An evil person couldn’t teach with the passion that you do.” Bright pink flooded Draco’s otherwise pale cheeks.  
  
“So I went to Dumbledore,” he continued, “and I told him what my father had been doing and that I didn’t want to follow in Lucius’ footsteps; that I wanted to fight on the Light side…  _Against_  Voldemort. He told me that only if I were absolutely sure, he’d arrange for a formal statement and a loyalty test of his own. He warned me that Lucius would be furious and my life was literally in danger if I went through with it. I told him that I didn’t care; that I had to follow my heart on it all. He said okay and we did everything we needed to do.  
  
“Lucius was more than furious. He came up here the next day demanding that I take back what I said and that I leave Hogwarts with him ‘immediately’. I told him that I wanted to stay and that I wasn’t going to go home for Christmas but if he had calmed down, I’d consider the summer holidays. He pulled his wand at me and snarled for me not to disobey him; that as his heir-not even his son, just his ‘heir’- I was obligated to obey him. Dumbledore told him that he had to leave.  
  
“All through the Christmas holidays and the second term Lucius wrote me letters. At first they were still demanding that I come home and that ‘the old, talent-less geezer’ had brainwashed me. As the second term went on, I saw less of his anger and more acceptance; he just wanted me to come home for the summer. He apologized for what had happened in Dumbledore’s office and he sounded really sincere so I decided to go home at the end of the term.  
  
“When I got there, though, he was the same as he was that day. He was angry, mad and mean. He beat the hell out of me the first night… I guess he thought that if he beat me enough, he’d beat some sense into me, I’d change my mind and announce my allegiance to Lord Voldemort. He didn’t succeed the first night so every day after that he went after me. Until two weeks before the beginning of our sixth year.  
  
“I was racing around the Manor getting my things packed to go back to school. I heard someone downstairs arguing with my mum. As I got to the landing I heard them ask ‘Where is Lucius?’ When Mum told them she didn’t know, they pushed her down. I got mad and I started thinking about how he could put his family through that, how he could put them in so much danger.  
  
“Malfoy Manor has a lot of magical passages. Their entrances look like normal walls unless you put your hand in just the right spot and say the password. I took…” Draco paused to choke back the lump that was beginning to form in his throat, “I took them right to the one Lucius was in. I put my hand in the exact spot and spoke the password. Even though it was barely audible, the passage way opened up and they pushed passed me to find Lucius. I stood bracing myself against the wall as I listened to those three Death Eaters torture my father, putting him under the Cruciatus for  _minutes_  at a time. Lucius screamed in pain and shouted…” Draco shook, his breathing shallower. “He… he shouted… ‘How could you, Draco?’” Draco put his head to rest on his hands, his body bent, elbows against knees; he couldn’t look at Harry anymore. “I saw a flash of green light,” Harry gasped as quietly as he could, his eyes widened “and I fell to my knees in tears.” A single tear crept down Draco’s cheek as he stared at his hands.  
  
Harry stared in disbelief, mouth opened in shock, his eyes were as round as Galleons and he, too, was shaking. “I had no idea…”  
  
“No one did.” Draco looked up, his back straightening, but he didn’t look at Harry. “I’ve never told anyone that before.”  
  
“Then why me?”  
  
“You were the first one willing to listen. Crabbe and Goyle and all the other Slytherin’s in our year were too caught up in their own lives and having to pledge their own loyalty to one side or the other. I didn’t want to go to Severus or Dumbledore about it…” Draco shrugged. “So I just kept it to myself.”  
  
“I’m really sorry, Dray.” A small smile crept across Draco’s pink lips. “Lucius ― my dad,” he corrected himself, “he was a dad then ― called me that when I was little. Mum used to, too.” Draco broke down in sobs.  
  
In one fluid motion Harry pulled Draco up out of the chair and into a tight hug. Draco, not having the strength (or desire) to resist let his head come to rest on Harry’s muscular shoulder as he reveled in the warmth of Harry’s strong arms around him.  
  
The two men stood like that for a few minutes until an owl flew into the room. Harry slowly guided Draco to the bed, afraid that if he didn’t, the blond-haired man wouldn’t be able to hold is own weight. Harry untied the letter from the owl’s leg and gave it a treat. “It’s for you,” he said as he handed the letter over. “It looks like it’s from Minerva.”  
  
Draco took the letter and unrolled the parchment. As he read his face became more and more pale, his breathing became more rapid and his whole body started to shake. Concerned, Harry watched him. “Is everything okay? What’s wrong?”  
  
“No. Nothing. I just have to go,” Draco replied as he headed for the door. As he reached it he stopped, turned on his heels and gave Harry a quick peck on the cheek. “Thanks for tonight.” With that, he rushed out the door, leaving Harry alone in his room.  
  
Harry touched the spot on his cheek where Draco had kissed him.  
  
“The hell…?”  
  
***  
  
Severus Snape was fast asleep when the impatient pounding on his front door woke him. Grumbling to himself, he climbed out of bed, threw his robe about him and went to answer the door. The doorbell rang five times in quick succession. “Alright, alright! I’m coming!” As he swung the door open he snarled, “This had better be important.” Snape’s face changed from irritated to surprise mixed with confusion at once when he saw who was standing on his doorstep. “Draco! It’s four in the morning!” He ushered Draco in. “What are you doing here?” his tone was a bit softer now, seeing Draco’s paler-than-usual face. “And come in.” he added, his voice now fatherly.  
  
Severus bustled around his kitchen making tea. “You look like shit, Draco! What’s wrong with you?”  
  
“Arthur Weasley wrote to Minerva. There are rumors that Death Eaters are going to attack me.”  
  
“ _WHAT?_ ” Severus yelped in surprise.  
  
“You heard me. They don’t know when or even who…just that they were top ranking. But I thought most everyone that close to Voldemort was sent to Azkaban, Severus? They couldn’t have escaped. They weren’t released - it’d have been all over the Daily Prophet. What’s going on?”  
  
Severus sat next to Draco handing him a cup of tea. “I don’t know. But I’m going to find out. You’ll have to be patient - after Lucius found out that I was loyal to Dumbledore I was, obviously, excommunicated from Voldemort and his followers - so it’s going to take a little while to get all of the information.”  
  
Draco nodded. “I understand.”  
  
“I know I don’t have to tell you any of this but as your godfather it’ll make me feel better. Until I find something out, I want you to stay at Hogwarts. It’s safe there. You are safe there. Teach your classes like there’s nothing going on. And speak to Minerva first thing in the morning. Let her know we spoke and what we talked about. Tell her I will contact her as soon as I know and I want an owl from you when you hear from the Minister.” Draco sat looking at his hands, fidgeting. “I’m not going to let anything happen to you, Draco. I  _will_  protect you.” Draco threw his arms around his godfather’s neck. “Thanks, Severus.”   
  
Hugging back he said, “You’re welcome. You know that. Now get back to Hogwarts so I can get my beauty sleep.”  
  
By the time Draco got back to the castle he was exhausted. He went straight to his sleeping quarters and collapsed onto his bed, falling asleep before his head even hit the pillow.

Draco woke up with a start. He wasn’t sure what had disturbed his unusually peaceful sleep, but he decided that no matter what it was, he didn’t like it. He’d been in the middle of a wonderfully intoxicating dream. He’d been sitting in a serene meadow; he was surrounded by the green grass that was sporadically dotted with vibrant colors of the wildflowers that were growing through it. The sky was clear, not a cloud in it, and Draco was transfixed by its brightness and beauty. He was at peace with himself and his surroundings, something he hadn’t felt since he was a little boy, playing in the gardens of the Manor.  
  
 _So much for a moment of tranquility,_  He thought to himself.  
  
The blond man sighed. He wanted to go back to that dream, to the peacefulness. He dragged himself out of bed, threw on a pair of jeans and a dark green shirt, he put on his robes and headed towards the headmistress’ office as he ran his fingers through his long, silky platinum colored hair.  
  
By the time Draco emerged from Minerva McGonagall’s office, it was nearly noon. It seemed that she was not happy about his not being reachable the previous day and had let him know it. “Where have you been,” she’d yelled the second Draco had walked through her office door?! The usual rants followed-he’d been irresponsible in not being reachable to her in the emotional state he’d been in for the past few days, if he did it again he wouldn’t have a job (though he knew this wasn’t true-she herself had told him that his teaching methods were unsurpassed). Draco smirked as he headed back to his quarters to take a shower.   
  
 _She reminds me of Narcissa! He thought, walking through the corridors. So damn over protective!_  
  
Draco shed his clothes quickly; he was anxious to let the steamy water relax the knots in his muscles away. The water streamed over his taut, lean body and Draco’s mind pulled him into the aftermath of his father’s death.  
  
 _(flashback)_ _  
  
 _No matter how hard he had tried, he couldn’t stop the tears and he couldn’t tune out the evil laughter of the Death Eaters. The front door to the Manor slammed shut and he rushed to his mother. She was on her knees in the main hall sobbing._  
  
 _Draco rushed to her side and put his arm around her shoulders. She violently pushed him away._  
  
 _“Don’t. Touch. Me.” she snarled. “You did this to him! You let them kill him!” She looked at her son, who was now backing away from her slowly. He’d never seen her this angry with him. “How could you? How could you kill your father?”_  
  
 _“But I didn’t! They would have attacked us all! I just-“_  
  
 _“Get out! Get out of my house! Now!”_  
  
 _“Why? Because I shielded us from Voldemort?!”_  
  
 _“You killed him! You killed your father, Draco,” Narcissa shouted at her son! “You stepped back and you let them utter those horrible words at him! Now get out!”_  
  
 _Draco turned and left, his cheeks were tinted pink with anger and guilt and tears were sliding down them without restraint. That was the last time he’d ever been to his family’s home._  
  
 _(end flashback)__  
  
A sharp stab of ice drew Draco’s mind out of his thoughts and he then realized that the hot water must have run out. He was violently shaking and he couldn’t stop. He leaned against the wall to try to steady himself and before he knew it, hot tears were flowing freely down his cheeks and he was curling up into a ball on the floor of his shower; he had killed his father. He didn’t want to believe it but that was what Narcissa had told him and never in his life had his mother ever lied to him.   
  
***  
  
Harry stirred in bed. He’d only fallen asleep three hours before and even then it had been a very restless sleep. He was worried about Draco; a person could only take so much before they cracked. He groped around for his glasses and slipped them on.  
  
Before Harry knew it, three hours had passed. He’d wanted to talk to Draco today but he wasn’t sure if pursuing him was a good idea; Draco had never taken kindly to anyone “sticking their nose in his personal bloody business.”   
  
This was one of those times that little voice in his head came shouting,  _Go make sure he’s okay, Potter! He had a rough night and it’ll prove that you want to be his friend!_  
  
Having convinced himself, the raven-haired man set off towards the dungeons.  
  
***  
  
Severus Snape stalked down Knockturn Alley, closely listening to the conversations around him.  
  
“Did you hear? There were threats made on Malfoy’s son.”  
  
“By who,” gasped a witch? “I want to shake their hand! Imagine! Turning your own father over to Death Eaters!”  
  
It took all of Snape’s self control to not lash out at the witch, but the reply from her companion was lost in the crowd.   
  
Trying to find out more information for his godson, Severus traveled further into the dark alley. And though he didn’t find out the Death Eaters’ names, he did hear that they were the same people who had killed Lucius. After a few more hours and finding out nothing more, Severus Disapparated home to write Draco a letter with the details he had learned.  
  
***  
  
Harry had been knocking on Draco’s door for a few minutes and was starting to get worried. He pounded with the side of his fist now.  
  
“Draco! It’s Harry! Please let me in! I just came to check on you!” He still got no answer so Harry let himself into the room.  
  
“Dray,” Harry called.  
  
He heard the water running and knocked on the bathroom door, slightly pushing it ajar.  
  
“Draco?”  
  
The blond sobbed and Harry rushed to the shower and flung the curtain open.  
  
The sight frightened him. His hands started to shake uncontrollably; sweat rolled down his forehead and he felt as if his legs were magically bound to the floor. Draco was sitting on the floor hugging his knees to his chest, his chin was resting on his knees and he was rocking back and forth. The blue-eyed dragon was crying and staring straight ahead, not blinking.   
  
After a few moments of Harry willing his legs to move, they responded and he turned the water off, wrapped Draco in a towel and swept his colleague into his arms effortlessly. Draco clung to him and let his head come to rest on Harry’s shoulder, his forehead cradling against his neck. Harry gently laid Draco in his bed and pulled the covers up around his shoulders.  
  
As Harry turned to go, Draco weakly said, “Stay.”   
  
The raven-haired man turned and asked, “Are you sure?”  
  
Draco nodded and Harry pulled a chair up to his bedside. “Sure, Draco.”   
  
Harry sat watching Draco for a long time. The blond was restless and Harry didn’t want to leave him before he knew that Draco was sleeping peacefully. A couple of hours passed and the man’s breathing slowly became deep and more regular. Harry pulled the blankets around Draco a bit more, kissed him softly on the forehead and headed for Minerva McGonagall’s office.  
  
Harry explained the last thirty-six hours to the headmistress. “Please, Mr. Potter. Calm down. Mr. Malfoy is going through a rough week. It is the anniversary of his father’s demise. Draco loved Lucius very much. He feels guilty; he feels that if he’d only done something differently, he’d still have his parents. Hind sight is always twenty-twenty, Harry.”  
  
“But he talked to me about his father! There has to be something more to it, Minerva!”   
  
The headmistress sighed and sat down behind her desk. “This is strictly between us. Narcissa Malfoy is currently checked into St. Mungo’s. After her husband’s death, she slowly went insane. Her mother checked her in six years ago…today.”  
  
Harry gasped. “I…I had no clue.”  
  
“Not many people do, Mr. Potter. And that is exactly how Mr. Malfoy prefers it. You know, probably more than anyone, that Draco is a very private person.”  
  
Harry spent three hours in McGonagall’s office. He learned a lot about Draco in those hours.  
  
“Thank you, Professor. I think I’m going to go check on Draco now.”  
  
“You’re welcome, Harry. Remember: This conversation is between us. Neither of us wants him to feel betrayed.”  
  
“I understand. Thank you, again.”  
  
For the second time that day, Harry headed towards the castle’s dungeons. But this time he was worried about something more than Draco’s well being. How would he react to Harry bursting into his sleeping quarters like he did? To Harry flinging the shower curtain open? What worried Harry the most, though, was Draco’s reaction to the kiss Harry had planted on his forehead.  
  
 _It’s not like he’s in a position to get mad._ He reasoned.  _He would have caught pneumonia in that shower! Or he would have wound up in St. Mungo’s with his mother!_  
  
Finally convincing himself, Harry knocked on Draco’s door.  
  
***  
  
Draco woke up in a cold sweat. The last thing he remembered was getting in the shower after talking to McGonagall about what he and Severus had talked about the night before. How’d he get into his bed? Why was he naked? Most importantly: Why did he dream that Harry Potter kissed his forehead?  
  
Severus’ eagle owl flew into his window and landed on the bed. Draco took the letter from its leg and pet its head affectionately.  
  
 _Draco_ _  
  
 _This isn’t much, but it’s a start. A lot of people are guessing that the three Death Eaters who attacked Lucius are the ones who are conspiring against you. No word yet as to who they are, but I am working on it. Did you tell Minerva what we talked about? What did she say? I have one more bit of advice: Find someone, other than that bloody journal, to confide it. I don’t care if it’s Neville Longbottom. Just find someone who can talk back so you don’t make yourself sick!_  
  
 _Severus__  
  
Someone knocking on Draco’s door made him jump slightly.  
  
 _Who could that be?_  
  
Draco got up, quickly threw on a pair of jeans and went to answer the door. He was surprised, to say the least, to see Harry Potter standing on the other side.  
  
“Erm…hi.”  
  
The two men stood there staring at each other for a few seconds.  
  
“Did you knock on my door for a reason, Potter,” Draco sneered. “Or was it just to see me without a shirt?”  
  
 _Would rather see you naked again,_ thought Harry as a broad, lopsided and goofy grin crept onto his face and images of Draco’s hard, muscular body flooded his mind.  
  
“What are you smiling at, Potter?” Draco’s voice invaded Harry’s daydream and he quickly snapped out of it.  
  
“Oh. Erm… Umm… Sorry. So yeah. I just came by to make sure you were okay. You left so quickly last night and all and―” Harry paused, not sure how Draco would react to what he was about to say. “I was just worried, is all.”  
  
Draco stared at his childhood enemy. Harry Potter was worried about him? Did he hear that right? The blond man stepped aside as an invitation for Harry to come in.  
  
Harry walked past Draco and flashed him a small smile. “So you’re okay, then?”  
  
“I’m alive,” Draco said flatly.  
  
“It’s a start.” Harry desperately wanted to ask Draco what was really bothering him but he didn’t want to make him feel as if he was pushing him into talking about it.  
  
“Spill it, Potter.”  
  
“Huh?”  
  
“Huh,” Draco said, mimicking Harry. “You want to ask me something. So ask!”  
  
“I just wanted to know what was going on. You ran out of my room last night; but not before you kissed me, mind you. I found you curled into a ball under ice water this morning while staring into space and rocking yourself back and forth.”  
  
Draco’s ice blue eyes stared daggers through Harry’s bright emerald ones and his mind was racing. He still didn’t trust Harry very much.  
  
 _But Severus did tell you to talk to someone…_    
  
Draco was torn. He desperately wanted to trust Harry ― he needed someone to talk to; someone to just sit and listen instead of pity or judge him ― but he couldn’t help but wonder how long it would be before Harry betrayed him.  
  
Harry took a step towards the other man and gently set his hand on Draco’s shoulder.  
  
“I’m not going to betray you, Dray,” Harry whispered softly.   
  
Draco drew in a sharp breath as he turned to face Harry.  
  
His eyes were softer as he said, “How’d you know what I was thinking?”  
  
Harry chuckled softly. “It’s easy to read you lately. Now tell me what’s going through that head of yours.”  
  
Draco turned from Harry again and sat down on the edge of his bed. “Look, it’s complicated, okay? There’s a lot going on right now.”  
  
“Like what?”  
  
Harry sat down next to Draco so closely that their thighs were pressing up against one another. When the platinum haired man shifted uncomfortably and didn’t respond, Harry got up, headed for the door and said, “Look, I don’t want you to feel like I’m pushing you to talk to me. You know where to find me when you want to talk.”   
  
With that, Harry walked out of the room and shut the door softly behind him.  
  
Draco sat looking at the door for a long time. What had just happened?  
  
 _You’re such a stupid arse! How hard would it have been to just talk to him?_  
  
Draco sighed deeply, pushed himself off his bed and sat down at his desk to write back to Severus.

Days had passed since he’d walked out of Draco’s sleeping quarters and Harry was starting to get worried. Had he said or done something to make him upset? To make him feel like he would betray and turn his back on him? If he had, it certainly hadn’t been intentional. Harry had just wanted Draco to feel as if there was someone there for him no matter what.  
  
Harry sighed. He needed to get his mind off of everything and lately, and much to his disappointment, flying and Quidditch hadn’t helped him very much.  
  
Wandering aimlessly about the castle, Harry let his mind roam.  
  
 _Why are you suddenly being so nice to him? Because you know how it feels to feel alone, no matter how many people are around you. And you know what it’s like to lose your parents. You have more in common with him than you think, Potter._  
  
That last thought surprised him.  
  
It scared him, too.  
  
Soon, Harry found himself walking around the lake. The breeze coming off of the water was cool and its tranquility drew Harry’s mind away from the rest of the world and helped him think a bit more.  
  
 _So I have a lot in common with him. So what? I always have. Why all of a sudden start being nice to him?_  
  
But Harry already knew that answer. It was because Draco was finally letting Harry be nice to him.  
  
Harry sat down at the base of a gigantic tree that was overlooking the choppy, the black water of the lake as he let his mind wander further into his thoughts.  
  
Soon, though, his mind was so full of questions and thos ths that Harry needed a way to get (and keep) them straight.  
  
“Accio journal,” he beckoned and within seconds, his Gryffindor-red journal Hermione had given him for his eighteenth birthday zoomed towards him and into his outstretched hand. He opened to a fresh page and started writing.  
  
 _A few days ago everything was normal. And then I had to go flying at 2am because of the bloody nightmares._ _  
  
 _I don’t know why Malfoy started to confide in me. I don’t know how I got him to. And I don’t know why, but I wish I could do it again. It’s driving me bloody mad! Why did he clam up all of a sudden? I feel like I did something to betray him. But how? The only things I could have used were what he told me and I haven’t repeated those to anyone. Not even Ron or ‘Mione ― and I tell them everything! Why does he have to be such a bloody, stupid, stubborn arse?! And why do I care so much? This is Malfoy I’m talking about!_  
  
 _Oh fuck it, Potter. You care because he reached out to you and you’re falling for the damn-sexy bloke!__  
  
Harry stopped writing and blinked.  
  
Did those words really just flow out of his quill? He looked at the page again.  
  
Yup. He’d definitely written that Draco Malfoy was a “damn-sexy bloke”.  
  
Did he mean it? Did he really feel that way about his childhood enemy?  
  
Harry paused for a second.  
  
Double yup. He really thought that Draco was sexy.  
  
But  _why_  did Harry feel that way about Draco?  
  
***  
  
Draco pulled the list of potions ingredients he needed to buy out of his pocket. He still needed ginger roots, jobberknoll feathers, and doxy eggs so he headed for Slug and Jiggers Apothecary.  
  
On his way there he, started to think about what was happening lately.  
  
 _You need to explain yourself to him! He was a Gryffindor for a reason. They’re courageous and loyal and trustworthy. At least tell him why you can’t open up to him more. He deserves that. _  
  
Draco forced the thoughts out of his head as he walked through the Apothecary’s door.  
  
Draco browsed the quaint shop for a few minutes, picking up the jobberknoll feathers and doxy eggs that he needed and eyeing the other ingredients that he didn’t.  
  
After circling the store three times without spotting the ginger roots he still needed, he walked up to the counter to ask Emma if she had any in the back storeroom.  
  
Emma was a beautiful, middle-aged witch with brilliant violet eyes that were accented by her collarbone length chestnut brown hair. She had high cheekbones and a gorgeous smile that made her eyes become even brighter. In fact, if Draco didn’t fancy men, he’d ask her on a date.  
  
“Hi there, Draco. What can I do for you?”  
  
“Hi Emma, I was looking for ginger roots. You don’t happen to have any in the back, do you?”  
  
“No. I sold the last of my supply yesterday. But I’ll add it to your bill today and send it up to you with my owl when it comes in on Friday.”  
  
“That’d be great. Thanks, Love.”  
  
After paying for the potions ingredients, Draco strolled back out to Diagon Alley and headed for the Leaky Cauldron.  
  
“Hi there, Tom. A butterbeer, please.” Draco…  _requested?_  
  
But as Draco pondered why he said, of all things, the ‘P’ word, and to  _Tom the innkeepe_ r, Tom, himself, said, “Sure thing, Draco!”  
  
While he waited for Tom to bring him his drink, Draco sat at a table in the very back corner of the pub. Leaning back in his chair, Draco sat there for hours observing Tom’s patrons and thinking. He knew he was being a git.  
  
 _Are you really? You trusted your best friend with your biggest secret in school and where did it get you, Malfoy? You became an outcast! The laughing stock of Hogwarts!_  
  
“Penny for your thoughts?”  
  
Draco nearly jumped out of his skin.  
  
When he looked up, he was staring into the emerald pools of Harry Potter.  
  
The relief in Draco’s eyes was obvious. He suddenly became aware of what Harry just said. Confused, Draco asked, “What’s a ‘penny’?”  
  
Harry burst out laughing. “Sorry, Dray,” Harry said when he saw the hurt expression on the blond wizard’s face. “A penny is a form of Muggle money. Muggles use that saying as another way of asking what you’re thinking.”  
  
“Oh,” Draco replied, crinkling his nose a bit.  
  
 _Merlin he’s cute when he does that!_  
  
“Well, you’re going to be awfully sore if you stand while I tell you,” he said as he kicked the chair closest to Harry out from under the table.  
  
Harry sat down next to his colleague. “So what’s up?”  
  
After Draco had told Harry everything he’d been thinking just before he’d walked up, he added, “I know it’s not fair to judge you by Blaise’s actions, Harry. It’s just that that’s all I have to base anything like that on.”  
  
“I get that, Dray. But think of it this way: if you don’t give anyone else a chance then that’s all you’ll ever have to base these things on. And maybe it’s just me but you seem pretty miserable like this.” Harry gave Draco a comforting smile.   
  
 _Damn him and his intoxicating smile!_  
  
“Look, it’s getting late. Walk back to the castle with me. We don’t have to talk if you don’t want but it’s nice to have company anyway.”  
  
“Yeah. Okay.”  
  
***  
  
The term had started a week ago and Dracs has having a hard time concentrating.  
  
He and Harry had spent a considerable amount of time together since they had run into each other in the Leaky Cauldron. They’d played Quidditch, talked about their memories of Hogwarts-both during the terms and holidays. And they’d shared their first real kiss. Though he wasn’t sure how he felt about it, Draco replayed the moment in his head for the eighth time that day.   
  
 _(flashback)_ _  
  
 _“Tell me about your mum, Dray,” Harry said._  
  
 _The blond man glared at the other wizard sitting across from him on his bed._  
  
 _“Sorry,” Harry replied to the glare, sending a small smile, letting the other man know he really meant it. “You just never mention her. You always talk about Lucius… I feel like I know him. I want to know your mum.”_  
  
 _Draco hesitated for a moment then took a deep breath and began to answer Harry’s request._  
  
 _“I don’t really know Narcissa. I remember her laughing all the time when I was a little boy. We’d sit in the Manor’s gardens and she’d watch me as I made things happen without realizing it. She’d hold me and rock me to sleep under the gazebo before carrying me to my bedroom for the night. But when I turned five, Lucius had me starting my “training” I had to learn how to act, speak, think, and be a Malfoy. I would wake up from terrifying nightmares and she would sing to me until I fell back asleep. But the dreams stopped when I was nine.” Draco paused sadly. “And so did the singing._  
  
 _“Right before Lucius was killed, she stole me away for an afternoon.” He continued, trying to make his voice conversational. “She told me that she loved me ― that she always had ― because I was her little boy. ‘You’ll always be my little boy,’” Draco remembered. He took a deep breath and went on. “She told me that Lucius used to threaten her if she interfered with his raising me ‘properly’._  
  
 _“She kicked me out right after the Death Eaters left the Manor,” Draco continued, no longer able to keep the tone of his voice. Tears slowly began to slide down his cheeks._  
  
 _Harry wrapped his arms around Draco’s slim waist and pulled him into a comforting hug. Draco rested his head on Harry’s shoulder as he kept telling his story._  
  
 _“A few weeks after, my grandmother checked Mum into St. Mungo’s. She’d loved my father so deeply that losing him drove her insane.” Draco sniffled a bit and Harry tightened his grip around the other man. They sat there like that for a long time, until long after Draco had stopped crying._  
  
 _“I should get going,” Harry said into the top of Draco’s head. Draco pulled away slowly, reluctant to give up the warm feeling he had from being in Harry’s strong and comforting arms. Eventually, though, he did and he walked Harry to the door._  
  
 _“Thanks for listening.” Draco smiled a bit, “Again,” He added, opening the door for his departing guest._  
  
 _“Anytime.” Harry began to walk out the door._  
  
 _Draco softly, but firmly said, “Wait a second, Harry.”_  
  
 _The dark haired wizard turned around. “Yeah?”_  
  
 _Draco stepped forward and kissed Harry full on the lips. The kiss was tender but assertive and Harry immediately fell into it. He wrapped his arms back around Draco’s waist and pulled his firm body into his own. Draco’s arms slipped up around Harry’s muscular neck as his tongue lightly danced over Harry’s bottom lip, requesting entrance. Harry didn’t disappoint it. He slightly opened his mouth to accept Draco’s tongue and the two men deepened the kiss steadily. The kiss was a passionate one and when the two men broke apart, they were both breathless._  
  
 _“Dinner. Next Saturday at seven. Muggle London. Blue Door Bistro. 15 Montague Street. Apparate to the alley next to it. I’ll meet you there,” said Harry._  
  
 _He pecked Draco’s lips once more then left without giving Draco time to respond to his dinner invitation._  
  
 _(end flashback)__  
  
That was two days ago and Saturday was still three days away. Draco couldn’t help but be anxious. He, Draco Malfoy, had a date with none other than Harry Potter. He considered this for a few minutes when another, more pressing, thought popped into his head: What was he going to wear!?  
  
***  
  
Harry, too, had been going over that night in his mind time and time again.  
  
He remembered every detail of the night: how Draco’s nose crinkled when Harry made a reference to something Muggle, how his eyes glowed when he talked of Quidditch… and his mum. Harry remembered how soft Draco’s lips had been against his own, how right it had felt to hold his body so close and how sweet he had tasted. Harry also remembered how Draco’s lips had made him feel like there was nothing else going on in the world, that everything was absolutely perfect and that he was genuinely cared for. Harry could have stayed in the blond man’s arms forever.  
  
Despite all this, however, Harry was worried. Would Draco meet him in the alleyway to the Bistro? If he did, what would happen? When Harry had asked, or rather, demanded ― there was no asking involved ― Draco, his mind was still clouded by the mind-blowing kiss that they’d just shared. Now that he thought about it without the cloud of pure, undiluted lust, Harry didn’t even know what his own intentions really were.  
  
 _What did you intend to do, Potter? Take him to the Bistro under the pretense of supper and then just shag the bloody hell out of him in the alley?_ No. He most definitely did not.  
  
But then what? Harry tossed the question around in his head for a few minutes but before he came up with an answer that made any kind of sense, it was time for his next lesson.  
  
Harry sighed as he gathered the materials he would need.  
  
 _I’ll definitely have to think about it tonight,_ he resolved to himself.  
  
 _I need some sort of answer before Saturday!_  
  
That night, Harry was so completely exhausted when he slipped into his sleeping quarters that he fell into bed totally clothed. But the questions from earlier still plagued him.  
  
 _Just a friendly dinner,_ he finally told himself in a tone that was trying more to convince him than to answer the question.  
  
 _The kiss was wonderful but he may be having regrets… you never know. So go there with no intentions and you won’t be disappointed._  
  
Satisfied with that answer, Harry let himself drift into a sweet dream about all of the possibilities that Saturday night could bring.

By eleven on Saturday morning Harry was about to go mad. He still had eight hours to go and he’d tried just about everything to help the time pass: he’d gone flying, walked around the castle and the grounds, he wrote in his journal, Harry had even tried to get his lesson plans for the next week done. Nothing had worked.  
  
Harry flung himself onto his king-sized four-poster bed.   
  
“What else is there to do?” he asked himself aloud. He sighed heavily and then he had a brilliant idea. Fred and George! They’d opened their joke shop after their unexpected departure from Hogwarts in Harry’s fifth year. Harry hadn’t gotten a chance to stop in this summer like he had the summers before and he figured he could use a good laugh to keep his mind off of Draco, so he pulled his robes around him and headed for Hogsmeade.  
  
Fifteen minutes later, Harry was standing outside Weasley’s Wizarding Wheezes. He pushed the door open and casually but the scene inside the store was anything but casual.  
  
***  
  
Draco Malfoy woke up on Saturday morning with a small, stubborn grin on his face that, no matter how hard he tried, wouldn’t go away. There were no classes today and in precisely eleven hours he’d be having dinner with Harry Potter.  
  
He lay in bed for a few extra minutes, before forcing himself up and heading towards the bathroom to get ready for a day that was undoubtedly going to be a very long one.  
  
Draco felt extremely refreshed after his shower. He got dressed and walked towards the edge of the grounds so that he could Apparate to Severus’ flat. Draco hadn’t heard from him since his letter and the Slytherin house head was getting a little more than worried about his godfather-it wasn’t like Severus to not write to Draco for so long.  
  
Draco walked to the edge of Hogsmeade and Apparated to Severus’ flat. When he got there, he knocked on the door firmly. After a few moments, the ex-Potions master answered the door looking like he’d had an extremely bad week. He glared at Draco, then, without saying anything, he walked into his kitchen to make some tea, leaving the front door wide open. “’Hello’ to you too,” Draco mumbled under his breath as he walked in and made himself comfortable on the sofa.  
  
“You look bloody marvelous, Severus. Ever heard of a thing called ‘sleep’? It’s supposedly all the rage,” Draco said sarcastically.  
  
Severus whipped around and snapped, “Shut it, Draco!” He turned back to making the tea and said, “I love you like a son but I don’t need a sarcastic git right now.” Draco was taken aback. His godfather hadn’t had an attitude like that towards him since Draco was a student at Hogwarts.  
  
“Sorry. What’s got you so riled up?”  
  
The older, dark-haired wizard sighed as he set two mugs of tea down on his coffee table. “It’s nothing,” he lied.  
  
“Bull shit!” Draco exclaimed, seeing straight through his godfather. “Everyone else may be too thick to see when you’re lying, but I’m not. You might as well just tell me!”  
  
Severus sat down next to Draco and sighed again. “I just don’t know how you’re going to handle this.” Seeing the icy glare his godson was giving him, the ex-Potions master said, “All right. There’ve been reports- _unconfirmed_ reports-of Death Eater activities.” Draco’s mug crashed to the floor.  
  
***  
  
Weasley’s Wizarding Wheezes was in total disarray. Everything was thrown from the shelves, the stuff that was kept in bins was dumped onto the floor, shelves were tipped over, the fake wands Fred and George were famous for were splintered and the Gryffindor banner hanging over the cash register was torn into several pieces.  
  
Harry’s eyes roamed over the small shop surveying the damage. Then, out of the corner of his eye, Harry caught a glimpse of red.  _Fred and George!_  He rushed over to the side of the front counter, knelt beside the twins and softly said, “Enervate.”  
  
The twins slowly came out of their unconsciousness. “Are you two all right,” Harry asked?  
  
“Yeah. I think so,” answered Fred.  
  
“What happened here?”   
  
Both looked around their store before George spoke. “We were setting up for today. You know, straightening shelves we missed last night and that. Then these three goons in black robes walked in.”  
  
“We thought it was Ron, Bill and Charlie screwing around,” Fred interjected.  
  
“Yeah. Figured out it wasn’t when they stunned us. We woke up half way through. They were ransacking everything; they kept saying that the passage had to be here somewhere.”  
  
“Passage,” Harry asked?  
  
“I think they wanted the secret way to Hogwarts under Honeydukes.”   
  
“Anyway,” George continued, “they kept talking about that Malfoy git, too; kept saying they had to find him. When one of them found us awake, he started asking us about him. When we said we didn’t know, all three hit us with the Cruciatus. We passed out after the third or fourth pass of it.”  
  
Harry’s heart dropped to his stomach. They were looking for Draco? “You guys are okay though, right?” Both twins nodded. “Good. Gotta go.”  
  
Harry rushed back to Hogwarts and to Draco’s sleeping quarters. “Draco!” Harry was banging on the door with the side of his fist as hard as he could. “Draco! Please answer your door!” After a few minutes Harry gave up and rushed to Minerva McGonagall’s office.  
  
***  
  
“Wh-What do you mean ‘unconfirmed reports,” Draco stuttered?  
  
“People talk, Draco. But these people aren’t Ministry officials; they’re just witches and wizards who are repeating what they’ve heard through the grapevine. The statements  _can’t_  be confirmed. Not yet, anyway.”  
  
“Severus, am I...I mean, should I...”  
  
“Are you in danger?” Draco nodded slightly. “I don’t know, but I wouldn’t take any chances. Stay at Hogwarts as much as possible. I’ll write in a week and if the rumors are still around...” Severus paused trying to find a way to subtly say what desperately needed to be said. Failing to come up with anything, he said, “Let me put it this way: start thinking about who might be a good secret keeper.” The color drained from Draco’s already pale face.  
  
“You...you’re serious, aren’t you?”  
  
“Unfortunately, yes. Look, if these rumors are true then you are in real danger. Death Eaters will find you no matter where you go unless it’s into hiding. You know this, Draco, and you know it all too well. Think long and hard about it.” Severus said sternly. Then, seeing Draco’s even paler face he added, “That’s a worst case scenario, Dragon.” Draco gave a weak smile at his godfather’s nickname for him.  
  
“I know it is.” Then, suddenly remembering what today was he asked, “What time is it?”  
  
“Five thirty. Why? Got a date.” Severus teased?  
  
“Yes. In Muggle London. I’ll send Nascha when I get back to Hogwarts,” Draco said as he rushed towards the door.  
  
***  
  
“Are you sure about this, Harry?” Harry had burst into the headmistress’ office about five minutes ago and had breathlessly started spilling out what had happened without waiting for her to ask questions: Fred and George’s shop, the Death Eaters looking for a passage and talking about finding Draco Malfoy.  
  
“Yes. Draco and I were going to meet in Muggle London tonight but I was afraid if I waited until then and he didn’t show up…” Harry let his sentence trail off. He didn’t want to think about that.  
  
“I’m going to send an owl to Severus now. As soon as I get a reply-and I suspect it will be immediately-I’ll let you know.” Harry nodded.  
  
“Thank you, Minerva,” he said as he left her office.  
  
Harry was beside himself. What if Draco wasn’t okay? What if the Death Eaters had gotten or found whatever it was they were looking for? He walked into his sleeping quarters and began to get ready to meet Draco-he had to keep busy and he absolutely had to believe that nothing horrible had happened to him and Draco would show up that night as planned.  
  
An hour later, Minerva’s owl flew through the window of Harry’s room. He gently untied the piece of parchment from its leg, gave it an owl treat and watched it fly back out the window before reading the note.   
  
 _Harry_ _  
  
 _Severus Snape has assured me that Mr. Malfoy is safe-he left his godfather’s house a little less than an hour ago, talking about a “meeting” with some mystery person in Muggle London. Just be careful tonight-if the Death Eaters were looking for Draco, they won’t let you being in a non-wizarding part of London stop them from obtaining what they want._  
  
 _Minerva.__  
  
Harry breathed a sigh of relief. Draco was okay, he’d run off from Snape’s saying he was meeting someone in Muggle London...Oh Merlin... the traitorous butterflies returned to Harry’s stomach and he had to sit down at his desk. In one hour--one measly, little, short hour--he’d be having dinner with Draco Malfoy who, as a child and teenager, had threatened Harry’s life numerous times. After resting for a few minutes, Harry forced himself up and went into his bathroom to finish getting ready.  
  
Harry spent ten minutes pacing about his room and the same thoughts kept coming to the forefront of his mind.  _You have a date...with_  Draco Malfoy _! This is the same person who threatened you and insulted Ron and ‘Mione countless times!_  But no matter what his head told him about his and Draco’s past, the train of thought always fell back to ...but he’s so damn sexy! Harry sighed, wondering when he’d started to see Draco as anything other than the amazing, bouncing ferret Mad Eye Moody had turned him into during their fourth year at school. As his hand gripped the door handle, Harry took one last moment to compose himself and then started for Hogsmeade.  
  
***  
  
At 6:45 Draco left his room and headed towards Hogsmeade. He was nervous but he didn’t show it-at least he hoped he didn’t. When he got to the small village ten minutes later, he paused for several seconds and took a deep breath to settle the butterflies in his stomach and the Apparated to the alley beside the café.

Draco paced the alley several times while waiting for Harry to show up.  _What if he doesn’t show? What if he stands me up?_  
  
“No,” Draco said firmly to himself.  
  
“’No’, what?” Sounded a familiar voice behind him. Draco jumped a bit but then smiled, slowly turning to face Harry.   
  
There was an awkward silence between the two men; neither knowing if they should embrace the other like they really,  _really_ , wanted too. Neither certain if the man standing before him had a change of heart since their last encounter.  
  
“Erm...Hi...” Harry finally said.  
  
“Hi.”   
  
Harry began to kick the dirt with the toe of his shoe as another couple of uncomfortable seconds passed between them.   
  
“Should we...erm...go inside then?”  
  
“Actually, I figured we’d just go back to the castle and snog...” Draco replied casually.  
  
Harry’s face drained of all color before he caught onto the sarcasm in Draco’s voice.   
  
“Yeah, that was what I’d first planned too,” he said, recovering quickly. “But then there was this big Weasley-family emergency and I just plain forgot to eat. So, now I’m starving and since we’ve come all the way to this cute little café, I figure we might as well eat first and then snog. That way we’ll at least have the energy to use up...”   
  
Draco fought hard and lost the battle; he burst out laughing.   
  
“You’re a riot, Potter,” he gasped out and then once his laughter subsided he said, “Thanks, Harry, I needed that. Come on let’s go eat. I’m starved!” He gently took Harry’s hand in his and led him into the café.  
  
Harry and Draco entered the Blue Door Bistro hand-in-hand.  _Cute_ , Draco thought while surveying the quaint café. The small circular tables were adorned with plain dark green tablecloths. There were two chairs at each table, their cushions matching the table clothes. Two complete place settings were on top of the table-a dinner plate and salad plate that were both snow-white porcelain with a crimson swirl design outlined in silver. The sterling silver flatware against the green made Draco smile to himself-if he hadn’t known any better, he’d have thought Harry had planned the colors.  
  
“May I help you?” asked the hostess.  _She’s pretty for a Muggle,_  thought Draco.   
  
“I have reservations for Harry Potter,” Draco blinked.  _Harry had made reservations?_  
  
The woman (her name tag read “Audryonna”) smiled and said, “Certainly, Mr. Potter. Please follow me.” Audryonna took two menus from the side of the booth she was standing behind and led Harry and Draco to one of the small tables near the back of the room.   
  
“Enjoy your meal, gentlemen!” Seconds after Audryonna had left them to look over their menus, another girl appeared.  
  
“Hi there! I’m Maggie. I’ll be your waitress tonight. What can I get you gentlemen to drink?”   
  
Seeing Draco hesitate, Harry quickly said, “We’ll take a couple of beers, Love.”  
  
“Okay! I’ll be right back with those to take your order!”  
  
As she hurried off, Draco said, “Thanks. I was about to order a butterbeer!”  
  
Harry chuckled. “That wouldn’t have gone over too well. Can you imagine explaining to the Ministry why we had to modify a Muggle’s memory?”  
  
“You’d get off easy, though. Or did you forget  _who_  the Minister is?”  
  
“Just because Arthur Weasley is the Minister of Magic doesn’t mean we wouldn’t have matching cells in Azkaban!” Harry replied hotly.  
  
“Hey-calm down! It was a joke!”  
  
“All right, here you go guys!” Maggie had returned with two huge mugs of beer in her hands. “Have you decided what you’d like to eat?” she asked as she set a mug down in front of each wizard.  
  
Harry ordered for both himself and Draco, handed the waitress the menus and smiled as she walked off towards the kitchen. “Why’d you kiss me the other night?” Draco looked at Harry-his eyes wide and his mouth was slightly hanging open with shock.  
  
“I-I really don't know if you want the truth. It just...it just felt right, I guess. Like it was what was  _supposed_  to happen or something. Why’d you kiss back?”  
  
“I wanted to,” Harry said simply.  
  
“Huh?” Draco asked. He was surprised by Harry’s reply.  
  
“I wanted to,” Harry repeated. “I’ve wanted to for, well, I don’t know how long really, but that isn’t the point. Look, Dray, I never understood how two people could hate each other so much-especially when both started out wanting to be friends. And to tell you the truth, I don’t know that I ever hated _you_  as much as I hated what you believed and what you were taught. But I do know that strong feelings were always there and that sometime between seeing you before the war and seeing you as Potions Master at Hogwarts, those feelings either changed into some sort of lust and want or the feelings simply came-to-be or they evolved from feelings that were there before.”  
  
Draco was speechless. He’d expected Harry to say, “I don’t know” like he had. The fact that Harry had admitted he’d wanted to kiss him (and apparently for some time now) surprised Draco. Did he feel the same way about Harry? In the middle of contemplating that last question, Harry began to speak again.   
  
“I didn’t say all that to surprise you. I just wanted to say it before I lost my nerve.”  
  
“Lost your nerve? You’re a bloody Gryffindor!” Draco had said that with a little more emotion than he’d intended so he took a deep breath before starting his next sentence. “Gryffindors are supposed to be brave, is what I meant to say.”  
  
“Yeah, but we’re still afraid of rejection and we’re still human, Draco.” Harry averted his eyes-it was the first time Harry had willingly expressed one of his weaknesses to Draco and it stung that he was being laughed at because of it.  
  
As if on cue, Maggie showed up with their food. “Is there anything else I can get for you?”  
  
“Not right now, Love. Thanks.”  
  
“Okay then! Enjoy your meal!” Harry began to eat right away-he was desperate to avoid showing anymore of his feelings to Draco. After all, as Draco had pointed out not too long ago, he was supposed to be brave, have nerve. He then remembered his first year, silently praying he wouldn’t be sorted into Slytherin. Dumbledore  _had_  told him in his second year that the Sorting Hat had not sorted him into Slytherin because he’d asked it not to. But what if he hadn’t been thinking “...not Slytherin...”? Would the Sorting Hat still have put him into Gryffindor? Or would he have been Draco’s housemate?  
  
Draco watched Harry carefully. He was pushing his food around on his plate with his fork while staring into space.  _What’s he thinking about?_  Draco studied Harry’s emerald eyes. They were glazed over-Harry was obviously deep inside his own thoughts.  
  
Draco reached across the table and touched Harry’s hand softly. Harry jumped slightly. “Sorry,” said Draco. “Didn’t mean to scare you. I just got tired of wondering what was so interesting that it could keep your eyes and attention off of me for so long.”  
  
“Flashbacks to Professor Binns’ classes.”  
  
“Ah, well that explains it then. I mean, how can I compete with  _History of Magic_  classes?”  
  
“Oh, you can’t.” replied Harry seriously. Then, after seeing Draco’s (adorably) shocked look, Harry grinned. “Come off it, Dray! If you really think that I’d say rubbish like that and mean it, then you’re off your rocker.”  
  
“Well...I mean...Well, of course I knew you didn’t mean it!” Draco exclaimed as a pale pink color flooded his cheeks. Harry laughed.  
  
“Sure ya did, Dray.”  
  
The rest of the wizards’ dinner was pleasant. The men talked about their years at Hogwarts and their duels with each other.  
  
About an hour later, Harry finally asked Maggie for their bill and while answering Draco’s overly eager questions, paid it.  
  
As the men walked into the dark London streets, Draco asked, “What do you feel like doing now?”  
  
Harry and Draco strolled through Muggle London hand-in-hand. “So what were you really thinking about earlier?” asked Draco.  
  
Harry hesitated for a moment and then said, “I was thinking about why I wasn’t sorted into Slytherin our first year.” Draco stopped walking.  
  
“What? You’re off your rocker! You’re a Gryffindor! I could have told you that when we met in Madam Malkin’s!”  
  
Harry shook his head. “The Sorting Hat almost put me in Slytherin, though. It said I’d be great and that Slytherin would help me on my way to greatness.”  
  
“So...I mean, why didn’t it then?”  
  
“I asked it not to.”  
  
“But the Sorting Hat doesn’t work that way!”  
  
“Just after I got out of the Chamber of Secrets, Dumbledore told me that it’s not our actions that make us great, it’s our choices.” Harry laughed a little.  
  
“What’s so funny?”  
  
“Nothing’s funny, just ironic. Do you know you’re the first person I’ve told that to? I never even told Ron or ‘Mione.”  
  
“Really? Why not?”  
  
Harry shrugged then said, “They’d have thought I was nuts.”  
  
“Yeah, I guess they would’ve. Can I ask you one more thing?”  
  
“Sure.”  
  
“Why’d you ask it not to? How’d you know you didn’t want to be in Slytherin?”  
  
“Hagrid. When he came to get me from my aunt’s and uncle’s, he told me about Hogwarts-he said that every witch or wizard who’d gone bad had been in Slytherin. So I guess I was scared more than anything.”  
  
Changing the subject, Draco said, “Lets pop over to Fortescue’s.”  
  
“Yeah, all right. Erm, let’s head towards the park-it’s darker there so it’s less likely Muggles will see us Disapparate.”  
  
***  
  
Several heads turned as Harry and Draco walked into Fortescue’s holding hands. Feeling Harry start to pull away, Draco grasped his hand more tightly. “It’s okay,” Draco said softly, trying to reassure Harry.  
  
They sat down at a small table in the middle of the ice cream parlor. “How?” asked Harry.  
  
“What do you mean?”  
  
“You said ‘it’s okay’. How is it okay? How can you stand people staring at you like that?”  
  
Draco shrugged. “What do I care what they think about me? When Lucius ‘trained’ me to ‘be and act like a Malfoy’, a big lesson was ignoring other people’s opinions of you because if they’re staring or saying stupid things, they’re just jealous of you. Beside, how can you not be used to it?”  
  
“I never said I wasn’t used to it. I said I couldn’t stand it. I never could.”  
  
“What? But what about all those times at school? The Chamber and the Tri-Wizard Tournament? I mean you always acted like all the attention didn’t bother you.”  
  
“So what?” Harry replied coolly. He didn’t like where the conversation was heading.  
  
“It-I don’t know. It just seemed so natural for you to accept all the attention but you were acting and you were really just ignoring it...so why did everyone staring at us tonight bother you so much?”  
  
Harry relaxed a bit. “I just got so used to no attention at all. When I killed Voldemort I didn’t sleep for six weeks because of all the media attention. But after that, up until tonight, I’ve been living an almost normal life. No one’s been trying to kill me and so I don’t have anyone to kill or defeat.”  
  
“But you’re The-Boy-Who-Lived, Harry.”  
  
“And I always will be. I can’t change that I survived that night. But since I killed Voldemort, there’s no proverbial neon sign over my head flashing ‘Celebrity’ or ‘Boy-Who-Lived’. People, for once, aren’t swarming around me just to be able to say they ‘know’ Harry Potter.” Draco gave Harry a small smile. He never realized how much he took his privacy for granted.  
  
Harry and Draco sat in the ice cream parlor until Madam Fortescue kicked them out.  
  
As they walked through Diagon Alley Draco said, “Can we head back to the castle, Harry? I kind of need to ask you something but I can’t do it here.”   
  
Harry raised an eyebrow at Draco but nodded softly anyway. “Sure, Dray.”  
  
***  
  
Harry followed Draco to his sleeping quarters. As soon as Draco closed his door behind Harry, he quickly muttered several locking and silencing charms.  
  
“Is everything okay, Draco? You’re worrying me...”  
  
“Not really. The first night I came to your room to talk to you, I got a letter and then rushed out, remember?”  
  
Harry nodded.  
  
“The letter was from Minerva. Arthur Weasley owled her saying there was...are...there are rumors that Death Eaters are planning an attack on me.”  
  
Harry gasped.  
  
“I ran out because I needed to talk to Severus. He asked around and found out that they are the same Death Eaters who...” tears slid down Draco’s flushed cheeks. “...Who killed my dad. He told me that I should think about who’d make...” Draco paused. He never realized how hard it’d be to say. “I mean...he told me that I need to find a secret keeper,” he spat out, tears now falling in steady streams from his ice blue eyes.  
  
Harry’s eyes widened. “Are you asking me what I think you’re asking me, Dray?”  
  
Draco leaned up against the wall to brace himself and wrapped his arms around himself as he nodded, unable to actually speak the one simple word that he wanted to say more than anything. Harry walked across the room, took Draco in his arms and hugged him firmly.  
  
“No worries, Love,” Harry whispered. Draco nodded and snaked his hands around Harry’s slim waist tightly.  
  
“Thank you,” he muttered into Harry’s shoulder.  
  
Harry softly led Draco to his bed and laid him down. As he pulled the covers over the blond wizard, Harry sat on the edge of the bed and said, “Get some sleep, Love. You’ll feel better in the morning.”  
  
“Harry?” Draco said as he gently grabbed Harry’s arm to stop him from getting off the bed.  
  
“Yeah, Love?”  
  
“Sleep with me? Just sleep, Harry. Please?”  
  
“Of course, Dray.” Harry said as he toed off his shoes, climbed under the covers and took Draco into his arms.  
  
Harry lay awake while Draco slept in his arms for a long time. He thought about what Draco had asked him. Was he really willing to step back into that spotlight for Draco? Was he willing to risk his life for him? Draco snuggled closer to Harry and sighed contently. Harry smiled and said softly, “You always have an answer, Draco.” He wrapped his arms around the other man a little more tightly and fell asleep with a smile still on his face.

_***_

_(dream)_

_A sharp pain jolted through Draco waking him. He rubbed the back of his head absently while he looked around the strange room he had awakened in. It was dimly lit; the walls and floor of hard, gray stone. The far corners of the room were too dark for Draco to see, but he clearly saw Harry sitting in a high-backed chair near the only door._ _  
  
 _“Harry?” he called softly. “Where are we?” Harry didn’t answer._  
  
 _A few seconds later, three people in black, hooded robes walked through the door._  
  
 _“No!” Draco screamed as he moved to stand up. Something was holding him in place. Draco struggled for a few seconds more and he finally broke free. Did he just break through magical binds? He shrugged.__  I’ll figure it out later, _he thought as he rushed to Harry’s side._ _  
  
 _“Where is he, Potter?” the Death Eater on the right snarled. Harry stared at the man defiantly._  
  
 _“Don’t be stupid, Boy! We know you know where he is!” Harry looked at the Death Eater on his left._  
  
 _“I don’t know what or whom you’re talking about.” Harry’s voice was strong and clear but Draco could feel Harry’s fear._  
  
 _“Crucio!”_  
  
 _“No!” Draco jumped in front of Harry to try and absorb the curse but it went straight through him. Harry screamed and writhed in pain._  
  
 _The Death Eater lifted the curse within seconds but Draco knew that it had felt like hours to Harry. He knelt in front of him and cradled Harry’s face in his hands, but Harry stared right through him. What was going on?_  
  
 _“I’ll ask you again, Potter. Where is Draco Malfoy?”_  
  
 _Harry spat at the Death Eater. “Why would I know? He left Hogwarts months ago with no explanation.”_  
  
 _“Crucio! We already know that Potter!” The curse was lifted. “We also know that you are his Secret Keeper. We want to know where he is.”_  
  
 _“Well you were misinformed! I don’t know where Ferret Boy is!”_  
  
 _“I’m warning you, Potter,” one of them snarled. “I’m going to ask you one more time. I suggest you tell us what we want to know!”_  
  
 _Draco knelt in front of Harry. “Please tell them, Harry! Please! Don’t be stupid about it! Just tell them, Baby!” he begged._  
  
 _“Where is Malfoy?”_  
  
 _“The Chamber of Secrets,” Harry said seriously._  
  
 _“Avada...”_  
  
 _“No!” Draco screamed and woke with a violent start.__

_(/dream)_

 *** 

Harry woke up suddenly. Draco was stirring violently and muttering in his sleep. "Dray, wake up, Love," Harry said, tightening his arms around the other man. "Draco, come on now. Stop struggling and wake up! You're going to hurt yourself!"  
  
"No..." Draco muttered. He struggled so hard against Harry’s arms that Harry lost his grip.  
  
"Draco, wake up!" Harry's voice was panicked now.  
  
"No..." Draco muttered again.  
  
"Now what, Honey?" Harry asked softly, not expecting, or really receiving, a response.  
  
"Tell them..." Draco murmured. "...Don't be stupid...Just tell them, Baby..."  
  
"Draco, please wake up!" Harry was getting desperate.  
  
"No!" Draco screamed, jolting upright in his bed. He was sweating and couldn't catch his breath. Harry ran his fingers reassuringly through Draco's silky hair and gently turned Draco's face to his. Draco looked at Harry for only a second before collapsing into his arms, sobbing. Harry tightened his arms around Draco once again. "Shh. Calm down, Dray," he soothed.  
  
"Can't..." Draco choked out.  
  
"Yes, you can," Harry said softly, almost in a whisper. "You're here with me now. No one can hurt you." Draco couldn't respond so Harry didn't say anything else. Instead, he simply held Draco close to him. They laid like that for hours until Draco had finally calmed down enough to tell Harry what had upset him so much.  
  
A half an hour later, Draco was in tears again. "Listen to me, Dray. That's not going to happen, okay?"  
  
"How do you know that, Harry? And don't say 'I just do' because you can't know. No one knows what these psychos will do! And it's not like they care, either! If they became law-abiding citizens for ten years and then slip up and get caught, they're going to Azkaban for the rest of their lives. Killing us can't add more time to their sentence, Harry-you can't sit in jail after you're dead!" Draco was scared. He was scared that Harry wouldn't listen to him; that he'd pick this moment in time to show his true Gryffindor nature-loyal to the very end.  
  
"Draco, it's not going to happen because I'm not going to let it happen," the brunette said calmly.  
  
"You can't control it, Harry! You know that! They're Death Eaters-with or without Voldemort! He doesn't have to be alive for them to follow his fucked up philosophy!" Draco pulled away from Harry and began to get out of bed. "Just...just forget about what I asked you," he added as he headed towards the bathroom.  
  
Harry sat there for a few seconds. After the initial shock of seeing Draco concerned for his well-being had worn off, though, he followed him. "Now wait a minute. Don't I have some sort of say in this?"  
  
"No, Harry, you don't. Look, you can't be my Secret Keeper when that time comes. I don't want you to get hurt-or worse-because of me! I know that probably sounds really weird coming from someone like me, but it's the truth, Harry. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if something happened to you while you were trying to protect me."  
  
"And what about me? How would I live with myself knowing that I could have protected you? Because who else are you going to trust? Better yet, who else  _can_  you trust? Crabbe? Goyle? What about Ron or 'Mione?"  
  
"I get it, Harry!" Draco yelled. "But it's not that easy!"  
  
"Why isn't it, Draco? Why isn't it that easy? I'm standing here  _begging_  you to let me be your Secret Keeper! I'm telling you that I don't care about the risks! I'm standing here, Draco, and I'm telling you that I love you so fucking much that I'm willing to step back into a life that I can't stand-a life that scares the living shit out of me just to make sure that you are safe!" Harry hadn't been intending to scream, but he was so frustrated with Draco for being so stubborn that he simply couldn't help it. "Merlin's balls, Draco, swallow your God-damned pride and for once in your life and  _TRUST ME_!"  
  
Draco stared at Harry. "You...you love me?" he echoed, his voice barely a whisper, his mind latching onto that one thing.  
  
"Merlin, Draco, of course I do! If I didn't, I wouldn't have said 'yes' in the first place! If I didn't, I wouldn't have crawled into bed when you asked me to stay! And if I didn't love you, I sure as hell wouldn't be standing here arguing with your arrogant arse about this!"  
  
Draco walked swiftly over to Harry and flung his arms around Harry's neck as a single tear slipped down his cheek. It had been a long time since anyone had directed those words towards him. Draco had forgotten how wonderful it felt.  
  
Harry wrapped his arms around the other wizard's waist as Draco said, "I love you too, Harry, and that's precisely why I just can't let you be my Secret Keeper. They'll kill you if they find out, Harry."  
  
Harry pulled away slightly to look at the other man. He wiped the tears from Draco's cheeks and replied, "How are they going to find out, Love? You'd tell me, and only me, where your hiding spot is. No one else is going to know and I'm certainly not going to go blabbing it to anyone. And before you say it, I know that they're Death Eaters, Dray, I know what they're capable of. I've been tortured by them many times, and I promise you, your hiding place won't pass my lips to anyone, no matter what they do to me."  
  
"That's my point! If you don't tell them, they'll kill you! Knowing that they'd torture you is bad enough, but I couldn't bear knowing that you died for me! I don't want to put you in that position..."  
  
Harry took Draco's face in his hands gently. "Listen to yourself, Love," he chided reassuringly. "You're just automatically assuming that these Death Eaters are going to know, instantly, who your Secret Keeper is, but that's not very likely. Think about it, Draco. We've been at each other's throats since we were eleven; no one knows that anything has changed between us. And as frustrating as it'll be, we  _can_  keep it that way."  
  
Draco shook his head. "I couldn't do that, love you in private but despise you in public. I may be good at wearing a mask to hide my feelings, but even I'm not that good."  
  
Harry slowly led the blond man back towards his bed while questioning, "So what do we do then, Love? You're not willing to let me be your Secret Keeper and, to be perfectly honest, I doubt I could have pretended to hate you, anyway."  
  
Draco rested his head on Harry's chest, trying to think of a solution they could both live with. "Why can't we just run away together?" Draco sighed.  
  
Harry sat up suddenly, inadvertently pushing Draco off of his chest. "You're bloody brilliant! Absolutely, positively, bloody brilliant!"  
  
Draco looked up at Harry as if he'd gone off his rocker. "Well, of course I am," he said confidently. "What'd I say?"  
  
"Run away together! We could both go into hiding, Dray! It'd be perfect! Then we could live our lives without worrying!"  
  
Draco sat up and kissed Harry soundly. Harry tensed at first, but quickly fell into Draco's kiss, his tongue flicking across Draco's bottom lip lightly. Draco parted his lips just enough for Harry to slide his tongue into his mouth.  
  
Harry wrestled with Draco's tongue playfully, being rewarded with a soft moan here and there from Draco. Slowly, Harry's hands slid up Draco's bare back and pulled his body closer so their chests were now flush against each other. Harry slid his hand up further and entangled his fingers in Draco's silky, platinum hair. The former Slytherin pulled out of the kiss, leaving only millimeters between his and Harry's lips, and breathed, "I'm not going to be able to stop if we keep going, Harry. Are you sure about this?"  
  
Harry nodded. "I want you, Draco, in every way imaginable." With that, Harry claimed his soon-to-be-lover's lips again, his hands exploring his pale, muscular chest, his slender, toned arms and his smooth, flat stomach. He kissed, licked, sucked and nipped his way down Draco's neck and shoulders. Draco purred at Harry's tongue dragging across the sensitive skin, all the while letting his own hands explore Harry's toned and tanned body.  
  
Harry hooked his thumbs under the waistband of Draco's boxers and slid them off while letting his fingers glide over Draco's slim hips and tight, muscled thighs. He dragged his lips through the valley of milky skin between the blond's pecs, his fingers darting over Draco's nipples, squeezing them every so often. Draco gasped each time one of the hardened buds was caught in between Harry's fingers and at this Harry looked up at him, grinning. "Enjoying yourself, My Dragon?" he purred.  
  
Draco nodded and breathed, "Please...don't stop, Harry..."  
  
"How can I refuse something so hot?" Harry's lips continued to explore Draco's torso, his tongue delving into his lover's navel. As the brunette gently tongue-fucked Draco's belly button, the blond writhed and moaned beneath him. Harry kissed down further until his bottom lip was resting at the base of Draco's hardness, then paused.  
  
Draco whimpered, "I need to feel your hot mouth surrounding me...please, don't tease me Harry."  
  
Harry debated about teasing the delicious wizard who was writhing in front of him, but decided against it quickly, there would be plenty of time for that later. Harry took all of Draco into his mouth in an instant, gently holding Draco's hips down as he did so. He dragged his lips over Draco's length slowly, his tongue tracing patterns over the sensitive flesh. Harry repeated those motions over and over again and, within minutes, Draco was bucking his hips and thrashing beneath him. "Merlin, Harry," Draco gasped. "That feels so good...please..."  
  
Harry slid his lips off of Draco's solid cock and whispered, "Please, what?" His hot breath caressed the damp skin he'd just been sucking on and Draco moaned at the sensation.  
  
"Don't stop, Harry. Please...just don't stop..." The fact that he was begging didn't even occur to him, and even if it had, he was too desperate for release to care.  
  
Harry grinned, whispered a single word, and took Draco's throbbing cock back into his wet, hot mouth, at the same time carefully sliding a finger into Draco's tight entrance. Draco called out Harry's name at the sensation and then exploded, spilling his seed down his lover's throat.  
  
Harry drank it all, then drew his lips off the blond's lithe body, but pushed his finger even deeper into Draco's arse. Draco thrust his hips towards Harry's hand, impaling himself completely on Harry's finger. He looked down at the dark haired wizard, his blue eyes locking onto Harry's emerald ones. "Take me, Harry," he begged, almost inaudibly.  
  
Harry kissed along Draco's thighs while slowly adding a second finger, and then a third, sliding them smoothly in and out of the receptive body before him. Draco's hips lifted from the bed and Harry's name was spilled from his lips at the intrusion. After what seemed like hours, Harry withdrew his fingers and positioned the head of his cock at Draco's entrance.  
  
He looked at the blond man lying before him. He'd always thought Draco was handsome, but the man before him now was absolutely breathtaking. His eyes, normally ice blue, were now dark and stormy, his pupils dilated with lust. The biceps that he'd built from playing Quidditch were flexing as he gripped his bed sheets. His pale, muscular chest rose and fell with his quickened breaths, his toned legs, gifts from gripping broomsticks for six years, were pulled back to his chest, exposing all of himself to Harry.  
  
Harry smiled, knowing that all of that was about to be his, and he pushed his head inside of Draco, and then stopped to let him adjust. Draco screamed in ecstasy. Never had anybody made him feel the way Harry did as he entered him. He felt complete and loved and worshipped for the first time in his life. "More..." he breathed. Harry obliged, slowly inching his cock into Draco's arse.  
  
When he was completely encompassed by Draco's tight body, Harry immediately began to pull out of his lover's body. Draco whimpered but was silenced as Harry's full length was pushed back inside of him quickly. "Merlin, Draco," Harry gasped. His thrusts became quicker and more intense as he neared orgasm. He leaned down and kissed his lover roughly while his hand slipped between their bodies, grasped Draco's cock, and began pumping it in rhythm with his own thrusts.  
  
"Gods, I'm about to come," he murmured into the kiss. "Come with me, My Dragon..."  
  
That was all Draco needed. "Oh gods, Harry..." he gasped. "Harry...I...Mmmhmm..." His warm semen pulsed over Harry's hand, coating their stomachs. The sudden tightening of Draco's already hot, tight arse around Harry's cock made him orgasm almost immediately. Draco moaned softly at the feel of warm, wetness inside of him as Harry came.  
  
Harry collapsed bonelessly on top of Draco, then rolled onto his side, pulling the blond with him. "That," he hissed breathlessly, "was amazing. I love you, My Dragon." Draco, still unable to find the strength to speak, wrapped his arms around Harry and softly squeezed him three times in quick succession, nuzzling the former-Gryffindor's neck gently. Harry smiled, kissed the top of his lover's head lightly, and drifted off into a peaceful sleep.  
  
***  
  
Draco stirred softly. His eyes fluttered open and he looked down at Harry. He smiled as the memories of the night before washed over him.  _Harry loves me and wants to go into hiding with me,_  he thought as a smile spread across his face. He squeezed Harry gently and fell into his own thoughts. Who would be their Secret Keeper? Snape?  _No, the Death Eaters are just waiting for an excuse to kill him._  McGonagall? He shook his head slightly at the thought. She was too much like Dumbledore; she'd want to make a plan that would most likely wind Harry up in St. Mungo's, if not kill him, to capture the Death Eaters. Dumbledore?  _Dead for five years, you dumbass!_ Draco racked his brain for more possibilities but drew a blank.  
  
As if on cue, Harry stirred in his arms. "Morning a Thaisce."  
  
Harry snuggled deeper into Draco's chest. "Mmm. Morning, My Dragon. How long have you been up?"  
  
"I'm not sure, really. I lost track of time trying to think of a Secret Keeper."  
  
"Come up with anyone?"  
  
"Nope. You?"  
  
"Hagrid?"  
  
"Why would he be loyal to  _me_? I only tried to get him fired at least twice every year that we were in school."  
  
"Because I'd ask him to."  
  
"I just wouldn't feel right about it, Harry."  
  
"Okay, then. Peeves," Harry suggested sarcastically. "Or better yet," he said laughing, "The Bloody Baron."  
  
"That's a great idea, Harry."  
  
"What? You're off your bloody rocker! I was only joking around. Peeves would blab in a heartbeat. You know that."  
  
"No, not  _Peeves_. The Bloody Baron."  
  
"How could the Bloody Baron be our Secret Keeper? He's a ghost. The Slytherin House ghost, at that."  
  
"Yeah, but you can't torture a ghost to make them talk. You can't kill him because he's already dead. It's not like they can lock him in the dungeons of Hogwarts-he can float out through the walls. Harry, don't you see? A ghost is the perfect Secret Keeper. Plus, the Baron doesn't exactly talk to begin with."  
  
Harry thought about Draco's reasoning for a minute, then asked, "But why would he be loyal to me-I'm a Gryffindor?"  
  
"Because you're mine," Draco said matter-of-factly, as he unconsciously tightened his grip on his lover slightly. "And what belongs to a Slytherin is as good as a Slytherin."  
  
Again Harry pondered Draco's statement. Everything he said made sense to Harry and he couldn't think of a down side-except actually getting the Bloody Baron to agree to it. "Do you really think he'll agree?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Then okay."  
  
"Really?"  
  
Harry looked up at Draco. "Yeah. I trust you, Dray. If you say that he'll agree and that he'll keep our secret, then that's what I say, too."  
  
"How can you trust me, of all people, so easily?"  
  
"You're my North Star."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
Harry chuckled. "My North Star. The North Star is the guide-the constant. You're mine. In school, no matter what was going on, I knew you'd never change and so you kept me grounded-you kept me from changing."  
  
"But what about Weasley and Mu-Granger?" Harry ignored the slight and barely noticeable twitch that Draco gave.  
  
"Oh, sure, they were always there but they eventually changed. Hermione stopped being the brainy, geeky girl that I met on the train in first year and she grew into a very beautiful, brilliant woman. She, quite openly, developed feelings for Ron and then slowly drifted away from our friendship.  
  
"Ron got great at Quidditch-he developed his own niche. He was finally able to step out of his older brothers' shadows. He grew balls and asked 'Mione out and then...he just stepped out of my shadow, too."  
  
"And me?" Draco asked curiously.  
  
"You were always the same. Mean, arrogant, stuck up, spoiled, selfish..."  
  
Draco cut Harry off. "Uh, and all of that is a good thing because...?"  
  
Harry laughed. "Because it was what I fell in love with. I knew that after an episode with Voldemort, Molly Weasley would coddle me. 'Mione would tell me how foolish I was for rushing into battle and, in the end, she would coddle me, too.  
  
"I knew Ginny and Neville would heal me. I knew Dumbledore would appear, tell me very important bits of information about me or my family that I should have known all along and then offer me a Lemon Drop like that would instantly make everything better.  
  
"Ron would stop talking to me for two weeks and then beg for forgiveness, Gryffindor would win the House Cup, I'd be sent back to Privet Drive for two miserable months and then the cycle would begin again.  
  
"But after a while, Ron wouldn't get mad-he just didn't talk to me at all-not like in our first three years, anyway. And 'Mione still lectured but she left the coddling to Molly. Dumbledore never changed but he pissed me off too much for me to care.  
  
"Then there was you," Harry said fondly. "I'd sneer at you and call you names because I was supposed to-you were Malfoy. But, secretly, after we fought, I'd always go back to the dorms, put a silencing charm on my bed, and laugh."  
  
Draco's nose crinkled. "Why would you laugh?"  
  
"Because I knew that I didn't mean a word I said to you. And I knew that, after Ron and 'Mione were off doing their own things, I made myself get up every day because of you. Even if it was to do everything in my power to ruin your day,  _you_  were the reason I got up and out of bed.  _You_  were why I loved playing Quidditch against Slytherin so much-you were my only  _real_  competition!"  
  
Draco was touched. He never realized he'd made Harry feel that way. He leaned over and kissed Harry softly, but passionately. "I'm glad I made you feel like that."   
  
"Me too. I love you."  
  
"And I love you. But Harry?"  
  
"Yes, My Dragon?"  
  
Draco leaned over, pressed his lips to Harry's ear, and purred in a low, husky voice, "Fuck me."  
  
A chill went up Harry's spine at the hot breath across the sensitive skin and he grinned. "Gladly," he growled as he claimed Draco's soft, pink lips with his own.

***

Harry scooted out from under his lover’s arms, careful not to wake him. He looked at Draco. His features, while always soft, now looked angelic-almost like they glowed. Harry smiled at the memories from the night before, kissed Draco’s forehead and went to write a letter to Molly and Ginny.  
  
 _Dear Molly and Ginny,_ _  
 _I know you must think that I vanished into thin air-I’m sorry for not writing more. How are you? Arthur? Neville? I’m doing well. I enjoy teaching at Hogwarts and being surrounded by the memories that dwell here...well, most of them._  
  
 _But onto more important matters. I’m writing to tell you two things in particular. The first is that I’ve met someone. He’s absolutely wonderful; sweet and caring (although he’d cast AK on me if he ever read that!) and he’s absolutely brilliant. Plus, he’s gorgeous to boot!_  
  
 _I know the first thing you’re going to say is, “We want to meet him!” so that brings me to the other reason for this letter. Because of news he received a few weeks ago, he’s decided the best option for him is go to into hiding. I’ve decided the best thing for me is to go with him. I know this is very sudden for you and I hope that I can explain it better very soon. But for now, you will have to trust me when I say that he’s worth it._  
  
 _We’ve chosen a Secret Keeper whom we both trust and a place where we both feel safe and as soon as everything is safe, we will open the Floo Network for everyone to come and visit._  
  
 _Though I know saying this will do no good, I must say it anyway: Please don’t worry yourselves to death. And please: no Howlers for telling you this by letter! If I had time to come to dinner and tell you properly, I would have but we need to leave as soon as possible._  
  
 _I love you guys and I hope to see you very soon!_  
  
 _Love,_  
 _Harry__  
  
Harry glanced back over his letter, tied it to Hedwig’s leg and then climbed back into bed to cuddle with Draco.  
  
***

(some weeks later)  
  
“Harry, don’t you think the bed looks a little silly just sitting in the middle of the room?” It was more of a request than a question. He’d feel too vulnerable if he didn’t have a wall on at least one side of him.  
  
Harry pouted at the blond. “But it’s more romantic this way, Dray.” Draco raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow at him, clearly questioning his sanity. Harry smiled then he waved his wand. Instantly, the bed was draped in indigo silk sheets, tons of pillows and a matching bed spread. He waved his wand again and a sheer canopy, a shade lighter than the sheets, was hanging from the bed posts. Another wave of his wand and their ceiling mimicked a moonless night sky with floating candles representing the countless stars.  
  
Harry waved his wand once more and the lovers were surrounded by vast ever greens. Through a clearing in the tress, there was a lake, the black water was motionless and perfectly reflected the ceiling. Their plush carpet took on the appearance, though not the texture, of a forest floor and Draco swore he could feel a slight breeze across his cheek.  
  
The Slytherin’s mouth gaped open in amazement, but he quickly recovered and drew Harry into a passionate and mind blowing kiss.  
  
Harry smiled, knowing he’d won and wrapped his arms around the taller man’s waist.  
  
***

  
Draco strode into the kitchen in only his bathrobe to find Harry sitting at the kitchen table, clad only in his boxer-shorts, sipping coffee and reading The Quibbler. “Really, Harry. I thought you had better taste than that,” he said, referring to his choice of reading material.  
  
Harry looked up as he set his mug and the paper on the table. He looked down at his attire and said, “Oh, I suppose Malfoys don’t consider this appropriate for the breakfast table.” He shrugged. “Well, I suppose if it bothers you that much, I can go get properly dressed,” he finished as he made to stand up.  
  
Draco firmly pushed the brunette back down by his shoulders and straddled his thighs. “Don’t you dare,” he growled before kissing Harry harshly.  
  
Harry groaned and thrust his hips up, grinding his growing erection against Draco’s.  
  
Draco thrust his tongue into Harry’s mouth, desperate to claim him as his own. His hands were frantically roaming over Harry’s bare chest and back, memorizing every square inch of his oh-so-fuckable body.  
  
Harry reached between their bodies, grasped Draco’s rock-hard and weeping cock, and began to pump it slowly, not wanting this to end before it even began. Draco bit down on Harry’s bottom lip and hissed. “Gods, Harry...I won’t last if you do that...”  
  
Harry clamped his teeth onto Draco’s supple neck but still continued to jack Draco off-he was thoroughly enjoying the moans, groans, and mews of the drop-dead-sexy wizard in his lap.  
  
Draco gasped while thrusting into Harry’s hand, trying to make him go faster. Harry pulled away. “Not-uh,” he whispered into the blond’s ear.  
  
“God damnit, just fuck me, Potter,” Draco growled, frustrated at being teased.  
  
Harry stared into Draco’s blue pools, smiled and said, “Thought you’d never ask.”  
  
Harry picked Draco up and laid him on the kitchen table then pushed his underwear down and kicked it aside. He roughly pushed the robe open and spread Draco’s thighs, whispered the Lubricus charm and placed his head at Draco’s entrance. He paused for only a moment to take in the sight before him and then thrust into Draco all at once.  
  
Draco screamed, thrusting his hips up to Harry trying to bury more of Harry’s solid cock into him.  
  
Harry didn’t disappoint him. He pushed further into Draco’s hot, tight arse, causing Draco to scream louder, his knuckles turning white from gripping the side of the table so tightly.  
  
Harry pulled out of Draco and then thrust back in quickly, finding a fast, hard pace. Draco reached down and took a hold of his own cock and pumped in time with Harry’s thrusts. Harry groaned. “That’s so fucking hot, Dray,” he said barely above a lust filled whisper. His thrusts became faster, and more urgent. He’d thought he was close to the edge before but seeing Draco jack off as he fucked him gave new meaning to the word “heaven”. Harry thrust into Draco one last time as he climaxed, filling Draco with his hot essence.  
  
Watching Harry’s face contort in ecstasy and feeling the jets of semen fill him sent Draco over the edge, too, sending streams of the hot, milky liquid over his stomach and chest.  
  
Harry leaned down and licked up Draco’s torso once, making him shudder. Harry smiled innocently. “Love you, Draco.”  
  
“You’d better after teasing me like that!” Harry pouted and Draco laughed. “I love you too, a Thaisce.” He pulled himself up and hugged Harry tightly.  
  
***  
  
 _ **Harry’s Journal**_ _  
  
 _Is it normal to never question a rash decision that you’ve made? I knew when Draco and I made this decision that it was, without a doubt, what I wanted. I figured that I would deal with it when I no longer felt that way. And, yes, my thoughts said “when”. Especially after Molly and Gin wrote back. They asked if I was sure; sure about the decision since I’d only “just met him” (if they only knew!), sure he was worth it, sure about him in general. And even reading that, I was sure. I was (and still am) sure that I love Draco more than life itself, sure that I want to spend the rest of my life with him and that, if I’d had the balls, I’d have proposed to him there on the spot._  
  
 _And so, three things have come from all this thinking. I now know more than ever before that coming here with Draco, my beautiful, blue eyed dragon, was the right thing for me._  
  
 _I also now know that, proposal, engagement and wedding or not, I will spend the rest of my life with Draco Lucius Malfoy._  
  
 _The third was a headache. But I stopped to day dream about spending the rest of my days with Draco and it just...went away._  
  
 _Should I propose to him? Would he even say yes? I know he’s given me no reason to think that he wouldn’t, but the question still must be asked. If I just swept him into my arms one night, confessed my undying love for him (again), and asked him to marry me, would I be overjoyed at the answer? Or crushed?_  
  
 _I don’t think I could handle being crushed. We’re here, together, until we get the “all clear” from Arthur (which, by the way, is simply “Little known and yummy recipe for Fizzing Ton Tongue Chocolate Frog beans” printed in The Quibbler) which could be months-even years!- from now. I couldn’t bear to live with him if he said no-I’d always question why...and that’d drive me insane._  
  
 _But I hate that voice in my head that keeps whispering (rather loudly) “What if?”__  
  
Harry snapped the book shut, painfully aware that Draco was staring at him.  
  
“What?” Harry asked, oblivious to the fact that he’d ignored Draco for the better part of two hours.  
  
“You’re just really sexy when you’re deep in thought.”  
  
Harry blushed.  
  
“And I want to know what you’re writing about,” Draco said, lunging at Harry. He collapsed onto him just as Harry muttered the spell to send his journal to its hiding spot.  
  
“Keep wondering, Love.” When Draco pouted, Harry sucked on his bottom lip. Draco resisted at first, stung by the fact that Harry wouldn’t share his thoughts with him. But one can only resist Harry Potter, and his wonderfully talented mouth, for so long. He gave in and kissed Harry back. When they broke apart, Draco curled into Harry’s lap and cuddled against his chest.  _I could spend the rest of my life here,_  he thought.  
  
Harry wrapped his arms around the blond and kissed the top of his head as they fell into a blissful sleep together.

***

 “I can’t believe you’ve talked me into this, Harry,” Draco complained from the bathroom.  
  
“Draco, darling, I love you more than life itself so what I’m about to say is going to be said with all that love and devotion,” Harry said sweetly. Then he roared, “Shut the fuck up!” Draco’s head popped out of the bathroom, his eyes were wide with shock. “You’ve been bloody complaining about this for three days! You didn’t have to say yes! And you can change your mind.”  
  
Draco stepped into the bedroom, averting Harry’s eyes. “I’m sorry, Harry.”  _Did I just apologize?_  Either way, Draco didn’t care. “You’re right-it’s probably been miserable to live with me. I just...” Draco trailed off and twisted his hands nervously.  
  
Harry reached out for his lover’s hands and when Draco took it, he led him to the bed. “It’s just what, Honey?”  
  
Draco took a deep breath. “I’m scared, Harry! We haven’t been out of this house in two years and now we’re about to venture out? At Christmas time? To go shopping! In Muggle London! What if someone sees us? What if I get mad or frustrated and disperse some of my magic? What if I forget and do magic? What if-“  
  
Harry cut him off by touching his index finger to his lips. “First off, who knows us in Muggle London? Second, you won’t get mad or frustrated enough to disperse magic. And if you do, just throw me against the nearest wall and snog me senseless. Third, we’re leaving our wands here.”  
  
”But what if we need them? What if-“  
  
Harry cut Draco off again. “What if someone recognizes us?” Draco nodded. “Who?” Draco shrugged. “We won’t need them.”  
  
After another hour of reassurances from Harry, Draco was finally ready. They opened their front door and, hand in hand, stepped outside for the first time in two years.  
  
***  
  
They strolled through the narrow streets, window shopping and making small talk. As they passed a heavily decorated drug store, something in the window caught Harry’s eye. “Wait here.” He left Draco standing on the sidewalk, dumbfounded, as he rushed into the store.  
  
Fifteen minutes later Harry returned holding a bag, a very fancily wrapped present inside. “Oh! For me?” Draco cooed as he grabbed for the bag.  
  
Harry snatched it out of his lover’s reach. “Not telling. And even if it is for you,” he replied to the blond’s pout, “you don’t get to open it until Christmas morning.”  
  
“But...”  
  
“No ‘buts’,” he said as he took Draco’s hand once more and dragged him down the street again.  
  
***  
  
 _ **Harry’s Journal**_ _  
  
 _20-12-08_  
  
 _I can’t believe it’s been two years. When I told Dray that I’d go into hiding with him, I’d assumed at the time that we’d be here for six months-at the most! Not that I’m complaining. Living with Draco has been Heaven on Earth._  
  
 _Wow. I just stopped to re-read some of this journal and I’ve just now realized how much of it has been me wishing I’d see the “all clear” so that I can ask Dray the question._  
  
 _It’s funny what living with someone for two years, and having no contact with anyone else for that time, can do to you. I’m now more comfortable with Draco Malfoy, of all people, than I was in the boy’s dormitory at school. At first, I’d go into the loo to change for bed (even though I knew that Draco would be undressing me the second I got back into the bedroom!) But now, the clothes fly off without modesty and we just sleep naked, even if we’re just cuddling._  
  
 _Another thing that living with him has given me: guts. Only you know how many times I’ve come seconds from blurting out those traitorous words; how many times during our love-making I’ve had to taste my own blood to stop myself from crying out “Marry me!”_  
  
 _But the question I’m facing is: why haven’t I fucking asked him?! He’s loving and sweet. He’s brilliant and beautiful. He’s powerful and ambitious. He’s courageous and brave. He’s...he’s just everything. He’s my everything._  
  
 _But, much to my dismay, I already know the answer-I want it to be romantic and perfect. Just like he deserves. Just like him._  
  
 _That’s it. I’m going to do it. I will ask Draco to marry me. On Christmas morning. No backing out, no excuses...nothing. Draco will be mine..._  
  
 **22-12-08**  
  
 _Do you know how hard it is to find the perfect engagement ring? I took the chance of going to France’s wizarding district for it. I know Dray will flip when he hears, but I’m hoping he’ll see the ring and just kind of...forget the other part. Besides, I had tons of glamour’s on. (I don’t even think Draco would have recognized me! I made my hair look like Bill Weasley’s, only dirty blond instead of red, brown eyes, no glasses, longer and more pointed jaw, at least three inches taller and, of course, no blasted scar.)_  
  
 _But the ring was more than worth it! It’s platinum (only the best for my Draco!) shaped like two dragons. They meet at the lips and their bodies completely twist together and are intertwined. One has a brilliant blue sapphire for an eye, the other an emerald. The detail is...I don’t know how else to describe it besides “breath taking”. You can see every scale-even on the wings!_  
  
 _But the part I like best are the enchantments and spells. A protection spell, of course, that will let me know when he’s in danger and where he is, and a spell that makes it so that only Draco can take it off. I know those are common charms, but this isn’t: if anyone besides Dray (even me!) tries to take the ring off of him, the dragons will breathe fire (only harmful to the other person, not my Dragon) that will leave their skin blistered for a week! I think, though, I won’t tell Draco the consequences of someone else trying to take the ring off. I love and trust him but, he’s still Draco Malfoy._  
  
 _I really hope he says yes. I don’t know what will happen if he doesn’t. I would still love him-I couldn’t stop even if I wanted to! But I also know that things will be awkward if he does. How could they not be?_  
  
 _But, for a little less pressure, I’ve got everything figured out for Christmas morning. I know exactly what I want to say and how I want to say it. Now if only I could plan the response...__  
  
***  
  
Draco Apparated into the little shop. He’d found it while on holiday with Lucius during his sixth year.  
  
“Ciao!” the shopkeeper greeted.  
  
“Ciao,” Draco responded. “Parlate inglese?”  
  
“Si signor...”  
  
“Evans.”  
  
“Signor Evans. How may I help you?”  
  
The man’s accent was thick and it took Draco a second to hear the words rather than the accent. “I’m looking for a gift for someone who is...very difficult to buy for.”  
  
”We have the usual rats, owls, toads, and Kneazle kittens.”  
  
“No, I want something different. This person was raised by Muggles so maybe something he’s never seen before.”  
  
“Ah, a Mudblood. Si, well maybe-“  
  
“It will do you well to never use that word in front of me,” Draco said darkly. His hands were clenched into fists at his side and it was taking all of his self-control not to hit the older wizard. No one, and he meant  _no one_ , called  _HIS_ Harry a Mudblood and got away with it.  
  
The shopkeeper looked shocked. “I-I beg your pardon Signor Evans. I meant no offense by it. Please, come with me-maybe your friend would enjoy a Puffskein.”  
  
Draco nodded and followed the shopkeeper into another room. There was a large, plastic pen in the middle of the room, full of balls of fur.   
  
Draco smiled slightly and approached the pen. The small brown-, white-, and custard-colored balls of fur were rolling around, their thin, pink tongues occasionally snaking out to snatch up the treats scattered along the bottom of the pen.  
  
He reached down and held out his hand. Immediately, a small, custard-colored ball of feather-soft fur rolled over and bumped against his hand. He stroked it lightly, and it's sandpaper tongue flicked out and touched his hand. He grinned widely and scooped it up, turning to the shopkeeper.  
  
"I want this one." He said, presenting the tiny ball of fur that fit perfectly in the palm of his hand.  
  
The shopkeeper frowned. "But Signor Evans, that one is very young. They are always more difficult to handle when that young, and perhaps your friend would prefer an older one. It would be...”  
  
Draco shook his head and said arrogantly. "Believe me, I want this one. It's absolutely perfect." He handed it to the shopkeeper with an imperious look that demanded obedience. "Just get me everything it needs."  
  
***  
  
Draco walked out of the pet store an hour later, a box and six other bags in his hands. He stopped abruptly in front of a clothing store and stared at the mannequin in the window.  _Harry would look hot in that,_  he mused. He walked into the store, told the first passing clerk to take care of his packages as if his job depended on it and then set to his task.  
  
Draco spent hours in the clothing store to try and find the perfect outfit for Harry but he couldn’t find exactly what he’d been looking for.   
  
Then, seemingly out of nowhere, he grabbed a clerk who was built like Harry, shoved an outfit at him and demanded, “Try these on.” The clerk looked at Draco as if he’d grown three heads but he stepped into the dressing room anyway.  
  
When he stepped out, the Malfoy Smirk crossed Draco’s lips. “Perfect,” he purred. “I’ll take it.”  
  
Draco shrunk all of his packages (after making sure the Puffskein had enough to eat for the night) and Apparated home.

 ***

Harry sat in his usual spot on Christmas Eve morning: at his and Draco’s kitchen table, drinking coffee and reading The Quibbler. He took another sip of his coffee, scanning the last page of the tabloid. The coffee he’d just sipped sprayed back out of his mouth, soaking the paper.  
  
Draco’s head snapped up in surprise and concern. “Are you all right?” Harry nodded, still coughing up the coffee he’d accidentally inhaled. “Do I need to take you to St. Mungo’s Psych Ward?” the blond asked seriously. Harry shot him a dirty look, still choking. Draco laughed at his lover then asked, “Okay, I give up. What was that reaction to?”  
  
Harry took a few more seconds to compose himself and then answered, “All clear.”  
  
“Good. Now answer my question.”  
  
Harry pinched the bridge of his nose. “You git. I just did. I choked on my coffee over ‘Little known and yummy recipe for Fizzing Ton Tongue Chocolate Frog Beans’.”  
  
Draco’s eyes widened. “Really?”  
  
“Oh,” Harry said softly as he re-read the paper. “Oh no. My bad, Dray.” Draco’s heart dropped into the pit of his stomach. “It says ‘chocolate bean frogs’...”  
  
In an instant, Draco had his wand drawn and had thrown several tickling hexes at Harry.  
  
Harry doubled over with laughter on their kitchen floor. “I...I’m so-sorry!” he cried through his laughter. “It-your face!” Another hex hit him. “I give up! Pl-please, Baby!”  
  
Draco smirked, leaving the hexes on Harry for a few seconds longer and then lifted them.  
  
Harry quickly composed himself and got up off the floor. “That wasn’t very nice,  _Malfoy_.”  
  
“It was a hell of a lot better than the Bat Bogey Hex,  _Potter_ ,” Draco mock sneered.  
  
Harry was silent for a few moments. The Bat Bogey Hex was the reason Harry feared being on the wrong end of Ginny Weasley’s wand in school and he wouldn’t have been surprised if Draco could toss one out better than Ginny could.  
  
“Fine, fine,” Harry said, throwing his hands in the air dramatically. “You win.”  
  
Draco smirked. “And what, exactly, do I win?”  
  
Harry approached his lover and wrapped his hands around his waist. “This,” he said, pressing his morning erection into Draco’s thigh. Draco growled. “If that is the prize, I think I’ll have to stop letting you win.” He kissed Harry deeply and Harry’s retort was muffled in the searing kiss.  
  
Harry tried to pull away, determined to have the last word but Draco slid his hand into Harry’s unruly black hair and firmly held his lips to his, probing his mouth more deeply.  
  
Harry gave in and kissed Draco back while adjusting his body so his erection was now grinding against Draco’s. Draco gasped at the sensation and ground back a bit faster. Harry moaned into Draco's mouth, locking his arms around the blond's neck, and arching against him again.  
  
Harry gasped as he climaxed in his boxer shorts and thrust into Draco’s hard-on even harder. His back arched farther and tugged hard on his lover's hair, pulling their mouths tightly together. Draco pulled his mouth away from Harry's, throwing his head back and gasping out Harry's name as he climaxed as well. Panting, they held onto each other for support as they regained their composure.  
  
Harry leaned his forehead against Draco’s and stared into his lust-darkened eyes. “Let’s stay here through tomorrow, like nothing changed.” Draco nodded his agreement. Harry kissed him gently and pulled his lover into a tight hug.  
  
“What about after tomorrow?” Draco asked worriedly.  
  
“What do you mean?”  
  
“We’ve been together for two years. But no one knows it. They know you’re in hiding. Arthur knows. But no one else does. What happens if your friends get upset with you?”  
  
”Dray, if they throw a hissy fit, there are two problems: One, they’re not as smart as I’ve given them credit for all these years. Yes, they know I’m in hiding with a mystery man but if they haven’t noticed that you’ve gone missing, also, and put two and two together, I’ll be very disappointed.”  
  
“And the second?”  
  
“Second, they don’t love me completely.”  
  
“Then what?”  
  
“Then I find new friends who do,” Harry said simply.  
  
Draco looked at Harry quizzically. “You say that like it’s the simplest decision you’ve ever made.”  
  
“It is. I love you and if they don’t accept that then they don’t accept me.”  
  
Draco’s heart swelled. He’d never felt more loved than he did at that moment. Harry nuzzled Draco’s cheek then said, “I’m going to owl Molly and tell her we’ll open our Floo the day after tomorrow.” Draco nodded again and began to clean up the kitchen.  
  
***  
  
Harry opened his eyes for the third time in thirty minutes.  _This is ridiculous! I’m so nervous that I can’t sleep but I can’t get up because I don’t want to wake Draco!_  Harry sighed and looked at his watch. 12:06.  _Well, it’s Christmas._  “Merry Christmas, Dray,” he cooed softly into his sleeping lover’s ear.  
  
“Morning?” Draco murmured.  
  
“Erm...sort of.”  
  
Draco looked at Harry out of the corner of his eye questioningly. “Huh?” He was too asleep to try to figure out what Harry meant by 'sort of'.  
  
“Midnight?” Harry said sheepishly, staring into the beautiful, sleep-dazed eyes of the man he loved.  
  
A pillow smacked Harry in the side of the head. “Don't wake me up for at  _least_  six hours.” Draco growled, tugging another pillow over his head.  
  
“Come on now, Draco. I’m too antsy." Harry said with a bit of a whine in his voice as he tugged the pillow off the blonde's head. "This is our last Christmas to really be alone. I want to make the most of it.”  
  
"Oh no, Potter. That won't work on me." He snarled back, holding the pillow firmly. "I am  _NOT_  waking up six hours before the time all normal people rise and nothing you say will make me take this pillow off my head."  
  
Harry chuckled and leaned close, whispering softly. "You're wrecking your hair, love..."  
  
The blonde jerked the pillow off his head and glared through his definitely rumpled hair at the brunette. "Let me tell you, Harry, you  _suck_."  
  
Harry grinned cheekily. "Yeah, but you love me for it. So, since you love me..." He looked at Draco with wide, green eyes. "Please, Dray? I know I won't be able to go back to sleep and I'll just keep waking you up..."  
  
“Bloody midnight,” Draco muttered under his breath as he threw the covers off of himself and climbed out of bed.  
  
Harry took Draco by the hand, dragged him into the living room and pushed him down on the couch. “What’s gotten into you, Harry?” Harry placed a perfectly wrapped package into his lap with very shaky hands. Draco set the present on the couch beside him and took Harry’s hands in his. “What’s wrong, a Thaisce?”  
  
“Please, can we talk about it after you open your present?”  
  
Draco didn’t like Harry’s soft, scared tone but he nodded anyway and picked up the package again.  
  
He slid the ribbon off of it and slid his finger under the tape. He gasped at the book. It was exquisite forest green leather with a thin strip of silver outlining the cover. “Harry, what-“  
  
“Open it.”  
  
Draco opened the book as if it were glass. Attached to a green ribbon bookmark was a platinum ring-two dragons twisting together, one with a sapphire eye and one with an emerald eye. Draco looked up at Harry, his eyes wide with surprise. Harry’s head was bent down but Draco could see his cheeks were flushed. Draco looked at the book again and, for the first time, noticed the inscription.  
  
 _“I worship the rain, which waters the grass that grows on the ground you walk on.”_ _  
  
 _My Dragon,_  
 _You brought a light back into my life that I thought was gone forever. You’re not only my best friend and lover, but my soul mate and my North Star. Without you, I’d be lost, as I was lost in the perpetual darkness that was my life for so many years before I found you again. I need you by my side now and for always. Will you marry me?__  
  
Tears streamed down Draco’s cheeks freely as he looked up to find that Harry was down on one knee in front of him. Harry took the ring in one hand and Draco’s left hand in the other. “Marry me, Draco. Please?”

   
***  
  
Draco looked at Harry in disbelief. He pulled Harry from the floor and into his lap. The blond wrapped his arms around his lover tightly and said, “Harry James Potter, you are one of the biggest gits that I’ve ever met.” Draco shrugged casually and then grinned at Harry’s look of confusion. He leaned in and pressed his lips to Harry’s hear and purred, “Means ‘You’re out of your bloody mind if you ever even entertained the thought that I’d say no’.” He captured Harry’s earlobe between his teeth and nipped softly as Harry beamed and let the tears that had been welling up in his eyes fall down his cheeks.  
  
With his lips still pressed to the Gryffindor’s ear, Draco whispered, “Can I have my ring now?”  
  
Harry kissed his fiancée soundly as he slipped the ring onto Draco’s left ring finger. “Love you,” he whispered.  
  
“I love you too, Love.”  
  
“Look at your present.”  
  
“There’s more?” Harry chucked and opened the book past the inscription. The book was a photo album full of pictures of them both.   
  
Draco watched as he and his then childhood enemy squared off in the dueling club during their second year. Harry hissed something into Draco’s ear and a shiver traveled up the blond’s spine as he groaned. “All I wanted to do when I heard you speak Parseltongue that day was knock you to the ground and snog you senseless.”  
  
“ _Oh really_?” he hissed. Draco shuddered.  
  
“Merlin that’s hot,” the blond half moaned even though he hadn’t understood a word that Harry had just said to him.  
  
Harry chuckled. “I’ll have to remember that...”  
  
Draco glared at him, even though he knew he’d enjoy it, and turned the page. He saw them in Madam Malkin’s before their first year and each of them being sorted. Harry nudged Draco with his shoulder. “You were an arse that day.” Draco looked up, feigning offense at the comment.  
  
“I was not!”  
  
“Yes, you were. You were sort of right in the end, though. Ron and ‘Mione went off to do their own things.” Draco swallowed hard-he couldn’t believe he was about to say this.  
  
“But they were good friends through school, Harry.” Harry’s head snapped up. Did Draco Malfoy just compliment Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger? “Oh come off it. If I had friends like that in school I wouldn’t have known what to do with myself. It’s their loss for not keeping in touch with you, Harry.” He placed a chaste kiss on Harry’s cheek and turned the page again.  
  
Draco froze as he stared down at the album. A beaming teenaged Lucius and Narcissa were smiling at the camera, laughing at whomever was taking the picture. Lucius’ arm was tightly wound around Narcissa’s waist as the beauty leaned into her boyfriend’s chest. Draco smiled sadly as his fingers feathered over the photograph. “She looks like she felt so safe in his arms,” he sadly thought aloud. Harry wrapped an arm around Draco’s shoulders and turned to the next page. He’d help Draco deal with those emotions later.  
  
The next few pages held pictures of Draco as a child. A pregnant Narcissa smiling happily as her hands held her large stomach; Lucius and Narcissa holding Draco as an infant; Draco’s first time flying; chasing birds through the Manor gardens when he was just two or three years old...Draco in his mother’s lap under the gazebo that Draco had told him about so long ago. When Harry first saw the picture and Narcissa’s lips moving, he’d assumed she was singing to her son but Harry never asked Draco what she had sung to him. The dark haired wizard looked over to his fiancée to see a tear slowly creeping down his cheek as he faintly hummed a melody of, what Harry assumed to be, the lullaby.   
  
He held Draco, but didn’t say anything. He understood that his lover needed the silence to deal with the painful memories the photograph had pulled to the forefront of his mind. After several minutes, Draco wiped the tears away with the back of his hand and continued to flip through the book, pausing at pictures that held particularly strong memories. “Where’d you get these?” he asked. His voice was barely above a whisper.  
  
“Some I just found-I didn’t even know they existed. Some I suspect Colin Creevey snapped while we weren’t paying attention. The ones of you and your parents I had to pull a few strings and call in a debt for.”  
  
“What strings? What debt?”  
  
“I risked writing to Ginny,” he said sheepishly. “But it was from France,” he added quickly.  
  
Draco blinked. “When did you go to France?”  
  
“When you went to Italy.”  
  
“How’d you know about that?”  
  
“I saw the cologne you bought.”  
  
“Oh.” Draco turned to the last page and found himself staring at a Muggle sketch of himself sleeping. “Who drew this, Harry? It’s wonderful. I’ll hex them for being near me while I was asleep, but I can at least thank them before I do...”  
  
“You’re welcome and even though you’ve had no problems with me being near you while you sleep for the past two years, I’ll just sleep in a spare bedroom from now on if it really bothers you that much.” Harry grinned for only a second at Draco’s shocked look before Draco knocked him backwards and passionately kissed him.  
  
After a few minutes of heated snogging, Harry pulled away slightly. “As much as I love kissing you, Dray, one of those boxes under the tree is purring.”  
  
Draco laughed while rising up from the sofa and delivered the box to his lover.  
  
Harry opened the package carefully, not sure what to expect. When he saw the ball of fur, he cooed. “Oh how cute!” He reached down into the box and scooped it up gently and chuckled when its purring became more intense. “What is it?”  
  
Draco reached over and stroked the feather-soft fur as he explained a Puffskein to Harry. The dark-haired wizard listened intently, all the while stroking the fur of his new pet. “What are you going to name him?”  
  
Harry thought for a moment-he’d never named a pet, aside from Hedwig, before. He broke into a smile and announced, “Marvin.”  
  
“What?” Harry laughed.  
  
“There’s a Muggle cartoon character named ‘Marvin the Martian’. He’s one of my favorites so that’s the name I pick.” Draco shook his head slightly. Leave it to Harry to pick a name from something so Muggle for a creature only wizarding children keep as pets.  
  
“What are those other boxes?” Harry questioned.  
  
“Most of them are stuff for Marvin.” Harry raised an eyebrow.  
  
“Most of them?” Draco grinned as he got up and placed one more gift beside Harry.  
  
Harry carefully handed Marvin over to Draco and ripped the wrapping paper off of his gift as if he were a five-year-old boy again.  
  
He slid the top of the box off and folded back the tissue paper before his jaw just about hit the floor. He held up the pants the box has contained. “I can’t wear these!”  
  
“Why ever not? You’re going to look bloody marvelous in them. Especially with that shirt.”  
  
Harry looked back down at the box and his eyes grew even wider (not that it was possible right now).  
  
“Just try them on, Harry,” the blond pleaded. “If you’re that uncomfortable in them, then you never have to wear them again. I promise.”  
  
Harry sighed in defeat. He had nothing to lose and, even if he did, he still would have given into Draco’s request-he couldn’t deny his lover anything. He stood up and went into their bedroom to try on his new outfit.  
  
When Harry emerged from the bedroom, Draco was sitting on the floor, his back to Harry as he played with Marvin. Harry cleared his throat to get his fiancée’s attention and as soon as Draco turned around, his wide grin was lost because his jaw had fallen nearly to his chest.  
  
Harry was self-consciously tugging at the skin-tight, forest green t-shirt. It hugged all the right muscles in all the right places and the bottom hem just barely met the waist-band of Harry’s new pants. Draco’s eyes drifted down to those pants and the minute he did, his cock instantly began to throb.  
  
They were black leather and were held together by a series of metal rings along the outside of Harry’s legs which revealed two long strips of tanned, muscled flesh. The outfit was topped off by a pair of dragon-skinned boots. Draco growled as he got up and stalked to his lover. “You’re bloody sexy.” Draco nuzzled Harry’s neck before biting the sensitive flesh. The Gryffindor gasped at the sensation as his arms instinctively wrapped around the blond’s waist. Draco licked up Harry’s neck, stopping at his ear, and asked, “Do you like it?” He nuzzled the raven-haired wizard’s neck softly.  
  
“I like the reaction it receives...” Draco bit Harry’s ear lobe.  
  
“You know what I mean, brat.” Harry chuckled.  
  
“It’s...different but not that bad. I think once I get used to the length of the t-shirt, I’ll be okay.”  
  
“You could go without the shirt,” Draco said suggestively as his fingertips pushed the hem of the shirt up and teased the flesh under it.  
  
“No I can’t, Dray,” he protested.  
  
“Why not?” Draco’s hands moved further up the front of Harry’s shirt, brushing over the sensitive nipples. Harry groaned.  
  
“Because it’d look-“  
  
“Bloody fantastic,” Draco finished as he pulled the garment over his lover’s head and tossed it aside.  
  
Unable to control himself any longer, Harry captured Draco’s lips in a searing kiss. Draco moaned and opened his mouth to receive his fiancée’s tongue. Their tongues danced intimately together as their hands roamed. Harry pulled the blond closer to him and ground his raging erection against Draco’s thigh. Draco hissed and moved to relieve Harry of his trousers as the Gryffindor deftly and quickly undressed him, too.  
  
Once both men were undressed, Draco reached between them and began to stroke Harry’s extremely hard length. “Gods, Dray...” Draco smirked and began to suckle on Harry’s neck as he gripped his lover’s cock slightly tighter. Harry cried out in pleasure. “I want you, Draco...Gods, let me love you...” Draco simply bit Harry’s neck in acceptance.  
  
Harry lifted Draco’s lips up to his own and kissed him deeply as he guided the blond to the floor. He laid between the blond’s legs and he abandoned Draco’s lips to take a nipple into his mouth, suckling lightly, eliciting a throaty moan from the other man.  
  
After whispering the lubricating charm, Harry slowly eased one finger into Draco’s hot, tight entrance. Draco hissed in pleasure. Harry grinned and grazed his teeth over the sensitive nub his tongue was currently laving. Draco arched into the Gryffindor’s mouth and Harry thrust his fingers deeper into his lover, brushing against the Slytherin’s sweet spot.  
  
Draco was seeing stars and tried to impale himself further onto Harry’s talented fingers. “Now, Harry!” he managed to gasp out. Harry kissed his way up to a sensitive patch of skin just behind his lover’s ear and hissed (in Parseltongue), “I love it when you beg, Draco,” as he brushed his fingers against Draco’s prostate again. Draco cried out and arched his hips off the floor. “Oh Gods!”  
  
Harry eased another finger into his lover while hissing, “You’re so sexy...”  
  
“More, Harry! Merlin...Need...Want...” Draco gave up trying to string together a coherent thought and Harry grinned.  
  
“And you’re bloody hot when you’re all flustered like that,” he whispered while adding a third finger to the two that were already stretching his fiancée.  
  
“Gods!” Draco cried out. Harry thrust his fingers deeper. “Yes...Oh...Right there...Please! Merlin, Harry!” Harry smirked and pressed his lips against the blond’s ear as he removed his fingers, quickly stripped out of his boxers and pressed the head of his cock to Draco’s entrance.  
  
“Mine,” the Gryffindor growled as he slowly entered his lover.  
  
Draco cried out, “Gods, yes!”  
  
When he was completely sheathed in Draco’s tight heat, Harry paused to let the blond adjust. He leaned down and whispered, “Love you, My Dragon.”  
  
“I love you too, Harry but if you don’t move, I’m going to have to AK you!” Harry grinned as he slowly withdrew from his partner’s receptive body and then slammed back into him. Draco bucked his hips up and screamed. “More...faster, Harry!” Not one to deny his lover anything, Harry sped his thrusts up, angling them just right.  
  
Draco continued making indistinguishable noises of ecstacy as he reached down and grasped his own painfully hard cock and began to pump it in rhythm with Harry’s thrusts. “Seeing stars yet, My Dragon?” Harry hissed to his lover.  
  
As soon as Harry began to hiss, the coil that was wound so tightly in the pit of Draco’s stomach released and his seed was shot over his stomach and chest. Watching Draco go over the edge and feeling his muscles contract around him, Harry buried himself deeply inside of his fiancée one last time and filled him with his own hot, sweet essence.  
  
Harry collapsed bonelessly on top of Draco, resting his head on the Slytherin’s chest, breathless. “If I get that kind of reaction from you every time I wear that outfit, I think I’ll wear it every day,” he said as he lifted his head to smirk at the blond. Draco laughed.  
  
“If you insist. But imagine how the Weasley’s will react when I can’t control myself anymore and begin to seduce you on the dinner table tomorrow,” he replied casually. Harry just laughed.  
  
“Molly would be mortified!” he exclaimed. “I think Ginny would be turned on by it, though” he added thoughtfully. Draco scrunched up his nose in disgust.  
  
“Eww. That’s definitely something you could have kept to yourself, Harry.”  
  
Chuckling, the Gryffindor replied, “Sorry, Dray.” He stood up and offered his hand to his fiancée to help him up off of the floor. “Let’s go take a shower and then go back to bed. You wore me out.”  
  
“If you think you’re worn out now, just wait until our wedding night...” Draco winked at Harry and took off for the bathroom before the brunette had time to process what he’d just said.

***

 “MUM! HURRY UP! WE’RE GOING TO BE LATE TO HARRY’S!”  
  
“Alright, dears, I’m ready!” Molly proclaimed as she bustled into the kitchen. “Your brothers and Hermione are going to meet us in Minerva’s office to meet Harry’s Secret Keeper and we’ll Floo over from there. All ready?” she asked her only daughter and son-in-law. Both nodded. “Minerva McGonagall’s office, Hogwarts!” she called as she tossed a pinch of Floo powder into the flames.  
  
***  
  
Draco stood in front of the mirror in his and Harry’s bathroom, rubbing gel between his hands.  
  
“What are you doing!?” Harry exclaimed as he walked into the bathroom to brush his teeth.  
  
“What are you talking about? I’m doing my hair.”  
  
“Don’t put that goop in your hair, Dray...I like when your hair falls around your face.” Draco shook his head and sighed.  
  
“Well come over here, then. Maybe it can tame your hair,” he teased as he approached his fiancée, his goop-y hands stretched towards Harry.  
  
Harry started to back up towards the hallway. “Don’t you dare!” Draco threw his head back and laughed.  
  
“Do you really think I’d do that to you, Love?” Harry cautiously stepped back into the loo and turned the faucet on so Draco could wash the gel off his hands.  
  
“With how nervous you are, I wouldn’t put anything past you right now.” The blond just laughed again as he leaned in and placed a chaste kiss on Harry’s lips.  
  
“You’re right-I’m nervous but that doesn’t mean I’d wreck your hair.”  
  
“Whatever you say, Love.”  
  
“Whatever I say, huh?” The Malfoy Smirk appeared on the blond’s lips. He leaned into his fiancée and whispered, “Then I say ‘blow me’.”  
  
“ _It’d be my pleasure, My Dragon_ ,” Harry hissed in Parsletongue. Then in English, he whispered, “We have company on the way over, Dray. I think it’d be a bit rude to have them show up while I was on my knees with your cock down my throat.” Harry pecked the blond’s cheek and fled to the living room before Draco could exact revenge for his speaking Parseltongue and the mental images he was sure were flowing through the blond’s mind right now.  
  
The flames in the fireplace glowed green and a second later, Ginny, Neville, Mrs. Weasley, Ron, Hermione, Fred and George were standing in his living room with him. Before Harry had a chance to process that fact, he was pulled into four bone-crushing hugs at once while Neville, Fred and George were attempting to pat him on the back.  
  
After the tears and greetings, Harry ushered his surrogate family into the living room and conjured some French wine for them. “So where’s this bloke you wrote about, Harry?” asked Fred (or was that George?).  
  
“He’s finishing getting dressed,” Harry replied.  _Getting dressed, wanking off...same difference,_  he thought amusingly to himself.  
  
“Who is he? You didn’t say much about him before you dropped off the face of the Earth,” Ron joked.  
  
“Erm...I wanted to talk to you guys about that...you see...”  
  
“What’s all the commotion in here, a Thaisce? Are you okay?” Draco asked as he walked out of the bedroom. When he saw what he’d walked in on, he froze in the door way.  
  
“What’s he doing here Harry?! Does your boyfriend know?” Ron stammered, “Harry what-“ he stopped when his wife, sister and mother rushed over to embrace the blond.  
  
“You look marvelous, Draco,” Hermione gushed.  
  
“Thanks...” Draco was still in shock at the reaction of the females of the group but he was recovering quickly.  
  
“’Mione!” Ron gasped out. “That’s-“  
  
“Be very careful, Ron,” Harry warned. “I love you like a brother but I won’t hesitate to serve you for dinner if you insult my fiancée.”  
  
“Oooh! I almost forgot!” squealed Ginny. “Let me see the ring!” she exclaimed as she took a hold of Draco’s left hand to examine it. Hermione and Molly hugged Harry, congratulating both men. Then “ooh-ed” and “ahh-ed” over Draco’s engagement ring with Ginny.  
  
“This is insane!” Ron cried out. “You knew about this ‘Mione?! Ginny? Mum!”  
  
“Really, dear, calm down,” Molly chided. “I knew Harry had met a nice man that he was smitten enough over to go into hiding with him. When Draco seemingly ‘disappeared’, too, I thought it was rather obvious.” Ron looked at Ginny.  
  
“HarrywrotemealetteraskingmetohelpwithDraco’sChristmaspresent,” she mumbled quickly. “But I figured it out when Draco disappeared, too!” she added quickly in her own defense.  
  
“’Mione?” the red haired man squeaked at his wife.  
  
“I knew before the first date,” she stated simply. Ron’s mouth dropped open and Draco’s head whipped around to gape at Harry.  
  
“I asked her where a cute café was to take a date. She wouldn’t answer me until I told her who I wanted to ask out.” Draco nodded his understanding. He didn’t know Hermione Granger very well but he’d gathered enough information from stories Harry had told him to figure out that if you wanted information from the woman, you had no choice but to answer her own questions before she answered yours.  
  
“And why are you three so quiet?” Ron demanded of the twins and Neville.  
  
“Harry is obviously in love and we’re not-“  
  
“Stupid enough to say-“  
  
“Or do-“  
  
“Anything except-“  
  
“Congratulations and-“  
  
“When’s the wedding?” The twins smirked at their younger brother.  
  
“Neville?! Malfoy made your life a living hell in school! You can’t honestly tell me that you’re okay with it!”  
  
“Why can’t I? If he makes Harry happy now, then he’s obviously not the same git that he was in school.”  
  
“You don’t know that!”  
  
“Harry does,” Neville stated calmly.   
  
“Harry hated Malfoy more than anyone when we were in school!”  
  
“But he’s in love with him now,” Neville pointed out. “Something must be different.” Ron’s mouth just opened and closed like a fishes.  
  
“Yeah...but...it’s Malfoy!”  
  
“Ron, just stop,” Harry said, exasperated. “You’ve found your happiness with ‘Mione and I’m happy for you. Be happy for me that I’ve finally found my happiness with someone. He’s not the Malfoy that we knew in school.” Harry reached out, took Draco’s hand and drew the blond man down onto the arm rest of the chair as he wrapped his arms protectively around his fiancée’s waist. “He means everything to me and if you can’t accept that, well you know how to use the Floo.” Ron just gaped at Harry.  
  
Draco finally spoke up. “You have every right to think me unworthy of Harry but at least give me the chance to prove to you what I’ve obviously already proven to him: that I love and trust and respect him more than anyone else.” The blond leaned into the wizard next to him and nuzzled his cheek lightly.  
  
“I’m sorry, Harry. It’s just that he didn’t even come close to making the list of guys you’d fall for. Was a shock,” Ron mumbled. Harry nodded his acceptance.  
  
“Just give him a chance, Ron.” The redhead nodded.  
  
“Okay, Harry. I’ll try.”  
  
At that, Draco stood up and announced, “I’m going to finish setting the table. Does anyone need a refill while I’m up?”  
  
“Have anything stronger than wine?” Ron asked, only half joking.  
  
“Sorry, Weasley. No hard liquor in this house.” Harry laughed at his friend’s grumbling complaints and moved to help his lover with the rest of dinner. Draco just pushed him back down into his chair gently. “Visit with your family, Love.” Harry shot Draco a grateful smile.  
  
“You sure?”  
  
“You haven’t seen or talked to them in two years. Of course I’m sure.” The blond placed a kiss on the top of Harry’s head and went into the kitchen.  
  
The nine of them sat down to a supper of grilled chicken and cavatelli and broccoli. The conversation flowed smoothly until the subject of the wedding came up.  
  
“So when’s it going to be, Harry?” Ginny questioned.  
  
“I only proposed twelve hours ago, Gin! We haven’t had much of a chance to plan anything.”  
  
“I think you should have a winter wedding; getting married somewhere covered in snow would be beautiful,” Hermione commented.  
  
“Maybe,” Harry replied, clearly uncomfortable with discussing his and Draco’s wedding with anyone before he and his fiancée had discussed it first. Draco came to his rescue.  
  
“What happened with the Death Eaters, Mrs. Weasley? Who were they?”  
  
“I’m afraid that I don’t know the answers to your questions, Dear. Arthur will, of course. You two should come to the Burrow for supper tomorrow and discuss it with him.” Draco smiled.  
  
“We’d love to. Thank you.”  
  
The rest of the evening passed with conversations of their days in school, their current careers and the past two years.  
  
At the end of the night, Mrs. Weasley hugged both boys. “I expect you both by seven tomorrow night.” Turning to her son and daughter, along with their spouses, she said, “You four, too. Bill and Charlie will be home for a visit and I want a true family dinner.”  
  
“Yes, Mum,” they chorused.  
  
Fred and George were next to leave, followed by Ginny, Neville and Hermione. Before Ron stepped into the fireplace, he hugged his best friend. “I really missed you, Harry. I know you probably couldn’t tell from how I acted earlier and since ‘Mione and I got together but I did.”  
  
“I know, Ron. I missed you, too.”  
  
Ron pulled out of the embrace and looked at Draco. He held his hand out towards the blond. Draco accepted it. “Don’t hurt him, Malfoy.”  
  
“I wouldn’t dream of it.” Ron stepped into the fireplace and disappeared into a flash of green flames. Harry collapsed into Draco. “Exhausting family you’ve acquired there, Love,” Draco commented playfully. Harry looked up to see his lover smirking.  
  
“You have no idea,” he replied dryly. “Bed?” he asked, slightly pleading. The blond only nodded, swept his fiancée up into his arms, carried him into the bedroom and gently placed Harry into the bed. After spelling the both into silk pajama bottoms, Draco, too, climbed into bed, wrapped his arms around his husband-to-be and fell into a contented sleep.  
  
***  
  
The next night played out almost the same as the night before had only this time, no one was surprised to see Draco.  
  
After dinner, Harry and Draco sat in the living room with the Weasley’s sipping wine. “Who were they Mr. Weasley?” Draco asked quietly.  
  
“Theodore Nott Senior, James Bulstrode and David Janes,” he answered with no hesitation.  
  
“Why Lucius?”  
  
“Because your father begged the Dark Lord to spare you, Draco.” Draco gasped and began to tremble.  
  
“And for that he was seen as a traitor,” the blond finished quietly. Harry pulled his fiancée into his side as Arthur nodded solemnly. “I want to know everything. Please,” he begged.  
  
“We received word about the threats on you at the Ministry two years ago from an anonymous person. We never did find out who it was. I sent word to Minerva as well as Severus and hoped the three of you would come up with a fail-safe plan to keep you safe. In the meantime, we had every Order member on the case with instructions to keep their ears and eyes open at all times and to, obviously, report everything no matter how small the detail seemed.  
  
“Severus had lunch with someone about a month after you went into hiding, though he cannot remember who it was because they altered that part of his memory. This ‘informant’, for lack of a better word, gave Severus a very vague message as to the identity of the former Death Eaters who killed your father and who wanted you dead. They informed him that you’d been in school with two of them, but not quite and the other was well known but you wouldn’t suspect him if he confessed to you.  
  
“At least with the first two, we had a starting point. We sat down and made a list of all the children you boys went to school with, eliminated the ones whose parents were not Death Eaters and then spend the next eight months tracking the rest down and questioning them under Veritaserum.  
  
“We tracked down Bulstrode in two months. He knew Nott was involved but could not tell us the identity of the other. Nott was tricky to catch. He was using many, many glamours and living in the States. When we did catch him four months later, it took us another two to extradite him back here for questioning. He was the one who told us Janes was the other Death Eater who attacked Lucius and plotting against you, Draco.  
  
“It took us ten months to track down Janes. He was a master Metamorphmagus. He also had no friends or family so going into hiding with no Secret Keeper wasn’t a problem for him.”  
  
“Who is he? I’ve never heard of him,” Harry asked.  
  
“That was the point, Harry. Janes, we later found out, was a low-level Ministry employee who had fallen into Voldemort’s ranks just after your fourth year.”  
  
“I think I remember him,” Draco said quietly. “I remember Lucius saying he was trying to get into the Dark Lord’s good graces by advancing in the Ministry. But Lucius thought he was too stupid so he pulled some strings to hold him back. Is that...” he took a deep breath and snuggled deeper into his fiancée’s side before he finished asking his question. “Is that why they attacked Lucius?” Harry tightened his arms around the blond.  
  
“We believe so, Draco.”  
  
“Why were they targeting Draco, Mr. Weasley?”  
  
“They believed he knew too much. They thought Lucius was feeding information to Draco for years.”  
  
“But they waited so long...”  
  
“We still don’t know why, Draco. I’m sorry.”  
  
“What about the last four months?”  
  
“The first three were the trials. We all thought it best if you two were still in hiding because at first, Avery and Bellatrix and McNair as well as a few others were still at large. Eventually, of course, they were all captured and Janes, Nott and Bulstrode were sentenced to be Kissed. In fact, they’re scheduled for the first week of February. I tell you that only for your own peace of mind. Those proceedings will not be open to the public.”  
  
“I want to be there,” Draco said firmly.  
  
“Dray, no!” Harry protested.  
  
“I need this, Harry. I need closure.”  
  
“That’s not possible, I’m afraid,” Mr. Weasley interrupted.  
  
“Please, Mr. Weasley. At least try. I’ll understand if you can’t make it happen but I’m begging you to try.” The blond buried his face in Harry’s shoulder to hide the tears of desperation that were beginning to fall. The dark-haired wizard pulled Draco into his lap and began whispering soothing, sweet nothings into his ear.  
  
“I promise, Draco. I will pull every string, call in every favor and every debt that I have.”  
  
Draco only nodded and Harry answered, “Thank you, Mr. Weasley. It means a lot to both of us.”  
  
“Anything for one of my boys.”  
  
Knowing it was time to lighten the mood, Ginny spoke up.  
  
“Did you talk about the wedding last night, Harry?”  
  
“No, we were both pretty exhausted.”  
  
“That’s only because you woke me up at bloody midnight,” Draco interjected.  
  
“You did?!” Harry nodded. “How romantic! Harry you’ll have to bring the photo album over next time! I can’t wait to see how it turned out!”  
  
“Okay, Gin.” Draco tugged gently at the collar of Harry’s shirt.  
  
“Can we go home, Love? The conversation wore me out.”  
  
“Anything for you, Baby.” He turned to the Weasleys and said, “Thank you for supper. We’ll be sure to have lunch together later this week after Dray and I have started to plan the wedding.”  
  
“Of course, Dear,” Molly answered.  
  
Hugs went all around and soon Harry and Draco were curled into each other’s arms, sleeping peacefully.

***

 “You have to tell me what you’re going to wear, Harry!”  
  
“Why, Dray? I want it to be a surprise!”  
  
“But if you’re going to wear red, then I need to know so I don’t wear green and make us look like a bloody Christmas tree!” Harry thought for a moment.  
  
“Wear your black, leather trousers and your azure shirt,” he said firmly.  
  
“I don’t know why I’m trust you on fashion, but okay, Love.”  
  
It was three days since the lovers had had dinner at the Weasley’s when Harry and Draco had decided to sit down and plan their wedding.  
  
“What about the date, a Thaisce? We haven’t decided on one.”  
  
“Erm...How about between our birthdays? Mid June? Early July?”  
  
“How about June 30?”  
  
“Why that date?” Draco shrugged.  
  
“Why not?” Harry chuckled.  
  
“Good point. Okay. June 30 it is. Who are you going to ask to be your best man?”  
  
“Severus,” the blond answered with no hesitation. “What about you?”  
  
“Probably Ron.”  
  
“Probably?”  
  
“Well, he’d be hurt if I didn’t ask him but...I don’t have anyone else to ask. The twins and I aren’t that close. Neither are Neville and I.” Harry shrugged. “He’s still my best friend, after all.”  
  
“It’s your wedding, Harry. You get to decide who your best man is. Not Weasley.”  
  
“I know. But I don’t think it’d feel right if Ron weren’t my best man.”  
  
“I’m not trying to change your mind, Love. I just want to make sure that you’re sure about the decision.”  
  
“I know, Dray. I am.”  
  
“Okay. Traditional vows?” Harry shook his head immediately.  
  
“I want us to write our own vows.”  
  
“Okay,” Draco agreed. “The only three things left are where to have the ceremony, who is going to officiate and the reception, which, of course, breaks down into a million little things.”  
  
“Arthur.” Draco nodded his head in agreement.  
  
“I’ve always wanted my wedding to be on a beach.”  
  
“Anything you want, Love. This is your wedding, too.” Draco grinned.  
  
“It is, isn’t it?” Harry just laughed.  
  
“Yes it is, Love. So about this reception. We need to figure out: if we want it to be formal or relaxed, music, food, location, dessert, a cake and, of course, the Honeymoon.” Draco grinned.  
  
“I’ll take care of the Honeymoon,” he said suggestively. “But I think I would prefer a more relaxed reception.” Harry nodded.  
  
“Yeah. Me too. Maybe at the Burrow? I’d rather not have _everyone_ know where our house is just yet.”  
  
“I definitely agree, Love. What about the music? I want someone who can trust not to play anything too horrible.” Harry thought for a moment.  
  
“What about Thomas Latrella?”  
  
“Who?”  
  
“Thomas was a Ravenclaw in our year. He became really close with Neville in NEWT Herbology. He’s working as a Muggle DJ in Liverpool but I’m sure he’d come up as a favor to Neville.”  
  
“No horrible music?” Draco asked cautiously. Harry laughed.  
  
“I’ll make sure of it. Speaking of Muggle things...” Draco looked at his fiancée warily. “I want a limo, Dray.” The blond shook his head, refusing.  
  
“I don’t trust Muggle drivers. And besides that, how will we explain how to get to the Burrow? We’d wind up having to Obliviate them. On the Honeymoon, Love. I promise.  
  
Harry nodded solemnly. Draco was right, after all, so he agreed to the minor (yet still disappointing) compromise. “What about the food? And the cake?”  
  
“The cake we’ll go shopping for next week. But before we think about the food, we should probably make the guest list.” Harry agreed and they set to it.  
  
An hour later, they’d composed a list neither of them had expected:  
  
 _Arthur & Molly Weasley_ _  
 _Ron & Hermione Weasley_  
 _Bill & Fleur Weasley_  
 _Charlie Weasley (+1)_  
 _George Weasley (+1)_  
 _Fred Weasley & Katie Bell_  
 _Neville & Ginny Longbottom_  
 _Blaise Zabini & Pansy Parkinson_  
 _Seamus Finnegan (+1)_  
 _Remus Lupin (+1)_  
 _Severus Snape (+1)_  
 _Minerva McGonagall (+1)_  
 _Vincent Crabbe (+1)_  
 _Gregory Goyle (+1)_  
 _Dean Thomas (+1)_  
 _Mrs. Black (Draco’s grandmother) (+1)__  
  
“We can’t invite all those people, Dray! Blaise and Seamus will kill each other! Pansy and ‘Mione, too!” Draco laughed.  
  
“Okay. No Zabini and Parkinson. No Finnegan.”  
  
“Dean, too. He and Gin were serious for a bit. Might be a little awkward with Gin married to Neville now.”  
  
“Good point, Love. Crabbe and Goyle?”  
  
“They’re your friends, Dray. They’re your call.” Draco thought for a moment.  
  
“No. I want it just family.” Harry smiled at his fiancée.  
  
“Okay, Love. So then the revised list is:”  
  
 _Arthur & Molly Weasley_ _  
 _Ron & Hermione Weasley_  
 _Bill & Fleur Weasley_  
 _Charlie Weasley (+1)_  
 _George Weasley (+1)_  
 _Fred Weasley & Katie Bell_  
 _Neville & Ginny Longbottom_  
 _Remus Lupin (+1)_  
 _Severus Snape (+1)_  
 _Minerva McGonagall (+1)_  
 _Mrs. Black (Draco’s grandmother) (+1)__  
  
Draco nodded as Harry asked, “What about the food then?”  
  
“We could go to the wizarding caterer Mum always used for her dinner parties,” Draco suggested. Harry shook his head.  
  
“I want to keep things quiet for as long as possible. I love you and I’m not ashamed but I’m not ready to step back onto the front page of the Prophet just yet. I want our wedding day and Honeymoon to be as peaceful as possible.”  
  
“He’s very discreet, Harry. Mother’s ‘dinner party’ guests didn’t have the best of reputation.”  
  
“If you think he can keep our secret, then we’ll go talk to him when we go shopping for the cake. What about desserts in general? Yes? No?” Draco thought for a moment.  
  
“Maybe something light...a fruit salad?”  
  
“That sounds perfect. So that’s everything then?” Draco nodded.  
  
“I can’t think of anything else. I just hope Arthur can make it so I can at least face Janes before his Kiss.” Harry moved and gathered his lover in a tight embrace.  
  
“I know, Love. If we don’t hear from him by Monday, we’ll fire call him, okay?” Draco nodded.  
  
“Okay,” he answered.  
  
***  
  
Harry and Draco were cuddled up together in front of a roaring fire on Sunday night. Draco was reading  _Where the Red Fern Grows_  out loud to Harry, because Harry had been pestering him to do so since before Christmas. Last year.  
  
In the middle of a very intense scene, the fire glowed green and Arthur Weasley’s head appeared. “Oh, I’m sorry to interrupt, Boys. But I have some rather important news.” Both men perked up at that statement. “I pulled some strings and I got you fifteen minutes with all three Death Eaters, Draco.” Draco let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding and clung to Harry more tightly.  
  
“Thank you, Mr. Weasley. I don’t think I’ll be able to ever repay you.”  
  
“You’re welcome. Now, please, know that only Draco will be allowed in the room and no one will be there to witness the actual Kiss. Their magic will be bound, so they will not be able to do, or attempt, wandless magic and, of course, they will be physically restrained. You will surrender your wand at the gates of Azkaban upon entrance and your magic will be highly monitored, just as a precaution.” Both Harry and Draco nodded in acceptance. “You may, of course, say anything you wish to them. The room will be warded to alert us to any magic or physical contact. When you wish to leave, Draco, all you have to do is say the word ‘dragon’ and someone will be there immediately to open the door. Every precaution to ensure your safety will be in place. You may choose the day but their sentence will be carried out on February seventh at nine o’clock in the evening.” Draco nodded while thinking.  
  
“Would Wednesday be too short notice? I want to get this over with.”  
  
“Wednesday at ten o’clock in the morning, Draco. You and Harry may Floo to my office and then you and I will go to Azkaban. Harry may either wait here for you, at your home or I’m sure Molly would love to visit with him at the Burrow. When we return to my office, I will have a portable Pensieve for you to capture the memory in to share with Harry, or anyone else, if you’d like.” Draco beamed.  
  
“Thank you again, Mr. Weasley. We will see you at ten on Wednesday.” The fire glowed green again and Arthur’s head was gone.

***

The gates of Azkaban were cruel and cold looking. A shiver went up Draco’s spine and he wished for the thousandth time that Harry was there to give him strength. But he knew hoping wouldn’t change anything. He looked at Arthur Weasley and nodded, letting him know he was ready.  
  
They stepped up to the guard shack. The guard was mean looking. He was heavy-set with two (definable) chins. His nose was big, his eyes small and his face was home to stubble that indicated that the man hadn’t shaved in days. At least. His shirt was so small that patches of (very) hairy belly were sticking out between buttons and his trousers were unbuttoned. It looked like the zipper wouldn’t last very much longer, either, making Draco all the more anxious to get this all over with. “Name and purpose,” he stated dully, not even bothering to look up.  
  
“Arthur Weasley, Minister of Magic. I’m here to escort Draco Malfoy who has an appointment to see prisoners number 6144A, number 9246F and number 7165D.”  
  
“Wands.” Both Draco and Arthur handed their wands to the gruff-looking man and he handed them both a badge that read VISITOR. “Go through the doors. Turn right at the second corridor on your right. Turn left at the end of that hallway, right at the end of that one. Ride the lift down to the sub-B corridor. Make a right out of the lift and go through the eleventh door on your left, counting only on your left.” Draco’s head was spinning and was about to ask the guard to repeat the directions but Arthur just nodded, thanked the man and headed towards the door.  
  
Draco blindly followed Arthur through the dark, musty corridors. He had a sense of foreboding, like something bad was going to happen. Finally, they got to the door he was supposed to enter. Draco took a deep breath as Arthur placed his hands on Draco’s shoulders. “Just say the word when you’re ready to leave, Son. Good luck.” Draco nodded.  
  
“Thank you.” Arthur squeezed his shoulders in an effort to comfort him and then left.  
  
Draco took a few more deep breaths, then opened the door. He stepped into the poorly lit room and closed the door slowly behind him. One more deep breath and he finally looked up to see the blank faces of the three men who tortured and killed his father and ultimately drove his mother to insanity.  
  
“I’m not here today to rub it in your face that you failed in your mission to kill me.” Draco’s voice was loud, clear and strong. “I am, however, here to show you that you’ve done me a great favor. If it weren’t for you, I never would have begun dating my fiancée and for that-and _only_ that-I’m grateful. You made it possible for me to see what a wonderful and caring man he is as well as allowing me to open myself up to him so he could see me, not my father.  
  
“Do not, under  _ANY_  circumstances, view this as forgiveness. You stole my family from me; you essentially orphaned me and that is unforgivable. I hate you with every fiber of my being and I sincerely hope you meet Voldemort in the seventh ring of Hell so you may be tortured by him for all eternity.” The last sentence was spoken with such venom that it surprised Draco. He lifted his head high towards the three monsters, staring them in the eye each in turn.   
  
“Lucius Malfoy’s son is a fag,” one of the bastards snarled. Draco recognized him as Nott.  
  
“Luke is rolling over in his grave,” said a second, fake pity all too obvious. Bulstrode, Draco thought emotionlessly.  
  
Draco walked up to the table and slammed his hands down on it, shoulder width apart, and bent over so that his nose was mere millimeters away from Bulstrode’s. “You know  _nothing_  of my father.” His voice was low, barley above a whisper. Draco leaned back a little to look at all three men. “You three are  _despicable_  excuses for human beings and I have serious doubts that a Dementor’s Kiss will have any effect on you except to make you more human as I doubt that any of you have anything that even remotely resembles a soul!” He turned and stalked to the door. “Dragon!” he said forcefully. The door opened instantly and Draco turned on his heel to walk out.  
  
Just before he walked through the door, he stopped and turned. “I take that back. I don’t hate you. I refuse to give you that power and hate is more than you deserve. I simply feel nothing towards you.” Draco left then quickly. He was anxious to get back to Harry.  
  
***  
  
An hour later, Harry and Draco were back in their living room, cuddling together on the couch. “Was it horrible?”  
  
“At first. But in the end, it felt good to get it all off my chest. Can I have the Pensieve? I want to get this in there before I forget.”  
  
“I doubt you’ll ever forget such a thing, My Dragon,” Harry replied as he handed the small box to his lover.  
  
“I know, but still.” Draco sat up a little to preserve the memory. “Do you want to see it?” Harry shook his head.  
  
“It’s a private moment. Unless you specifically ask me to view it, I won’t.” Draco crashed his mouth into Harry’s, kissing him soundly.  
  
“I love you. You have no idea what you mean to me.” The blond nuzzled his fiancée’s neck.  
  
“And I love you. When should we go shopping for a cake?”  
  
“This week. I’m excited. Have you asked Ron yet?” Harry nodded.  
  
“While I was at The Burrow this morning. I also asked Molly if we could take over her house that day. She almost begged me to let her cook for it. It took me a long time to convince her that she will be our guest and that I’d better not see her raise a finger or a wand that day.” Draco chuckled.  
  
***  
  
The two men walked into a bakery in Muggle London. A pretty woman standing behind the counter smiled as they walked through the door. “Hi there, Gentlemen! What can I help you with today?”  
  
“We’re looking for a wedding cake,” Harry answered. “We would like it to be a custom decorating job and the wedding date is June 30.” The woman smiled.  
  
“Sure!” She bent down and brought a three-ringed binder out from under the counter and carried it to a table by a case that held several beautifully decorated cakes. She opened the book and began to speak. “Do you have any idea about colors? What kind of decorations? The kind of cake?”   
  
“Chocolate,” Draco replied almost immediately. Harry raised an eyebrow at his fiancée and the blond just flashed him a sheepish smile. “You don’t mind, right?”  
  
“Any kind of cake you want, Dray. But I get to go and buy the top piece.”  
  
“Deal.” He turned back to the woman. “Chocolate,” he reaffirmed. “Overall white icing and...” he thought for a moment and then continued, “One red and one silver dragon going around it. One on the bottom tier and the other on the top, with their flames going around the second tier.”  
  
“Dragons,” the woman repeated. “Most couples choose roses but if it makes you happy, then we’ll do it.” The woman drew a quick sketch and then handed it to Harry and Draco.  
  
“How’s this?”  
  
“May I?” asked Harry.  
  
“Of course.” She handed him the pencil, then looked at the edited sketch.  
  
“Can that be done?” The woman smiled brightly.  
  
“Absolutely. Where would you like it delivered?”  
  
“Can someone pick it up?” Harry questioned.  
  
“Of course. It will be ready by ten the morning of June 30.”  
  
“Great! We’d like to pay now.”  
  
“Of course.”  
  
The men paid for their wedding cake and then, after a bit of lunch, they Apparated to the caterer shop in Diagon Alley.  
  
When they walked through the door, a short, round man beamed at Draco from behind a deli-style counter. “Mr. Malfoy! How wonderful to see you!”  
  
“Good afternoon, Mr. Hamilton. I’m well, thank you. Harry, Mr. Hamilton is an old friend of Mum’s. I trust you know Harry Potter, Mr. Hamilton?”  
  
“Who doesn’t?” The fat man extended his hand towards Harry. “It’s a pleasure, Mr. Potter.” Harry smiled politely.  
  
“Nice to meet you, Mr. Hamilton.”  
  
“So what can I do for you, Mr. Malfoy?”  
  
“Please call me Draco. Harry here and I are planning our wedding and we were hoping you’d cater it for us. I also trust that you realize we expect the strictest of confidence from you.”  
  
“Congratulations! Your mother would be most pleased!” Harry looked over at his fiancée at the mention of Narcissa and saw his blue-grey eyes brimming with tears. “I, of course, am honored that you thought of me. When is this most joyous event to take place?”  
  
“June 30. I know that it’s very short notice but-“ The man shook his head to interrupt Draco.  
  
“Nonsense! You’re giving me plenty of time! What sort of menu would you like?”  
  
“A light one. Grilled salmon, vegetable skewers, salads...we trust your judgment. The only specific thing Harry and I would like is a fruit salad but the rest we leave in your capable hands.  
  
“We’ll need you to deliver the food to the home of Minister Arthur Weasley by one o’clock that afternoon.”  
  
“Of course, of course! I’ll deliver it and set it up personally! How many guests?”  
  
“Twenty-two, plus Draco and I,” Harry spoke up. “How much do we owe you?”  
  
“My normal rate is 2500 Galleons but since Draco is such a good friend, we’ll say 1350 for you two.”  
  
“You’re too generous, Mr. Hamilton,” Harry said as he handed the man a sack of money.  
  
As both Harry and Draco stood up to leave, the stout man shook both of their hands in turn again. “Thank you again for your discretion, Mr. Hamilton.”  
  
“Of course, Mr. Potter. Congratulations again and I’ll see you on June 30.” The men smiled politely and Apparated home.

***

 “You can’t see each other the night before the wedding!” Hermione shrieked.  
  
“’Mione,” Harry said. “Neither Draco nor I believe in that custom. We will be spending tonight just like we have every other night for the past two and a half years: in each other’s arms,” he told his friend firmly. She just nodded her defeat.  
  
“Okay, Harry.” She pecked him on the cheek. “Ron’ll be here early tomorrow morning with Ginny and I’ll be going to pick the cake up for you.”  
  
“Thanks, ‘Mione. You’re a lifesaver,” he replied as she Flooed back to her house.  
  
Only minutes later Draco walked into the living room. “Harry did you see the response from my grandmother?”  
  
“Erm, I think so. Why?”  
  
“She replied that she’d be coming with a guest. But who? It’s been driving me mad!” Harry chuckled.  
  
“We’ll find out tomorrow, My Love.”  
  
“But I want to know now, Harry,” Draco whined. Harry kissed his beloved soundly.  
  
“Tell me. How can I make you forget about it, Love?”  
  
“Mmm. You could start by putting those wonderfully sinful lips to work doing something other than talking.” Harry grinned.  
  
“Anything for you, My Dragon,” he growled, then he captured Draco’s lips with his own, kissing his fiancée deeply and passionately. Draco moaned and let Harry take control, dropping his hands down to his lover’s hips.  
  
Harry backed Draco up against the wall slowly. Draco moaned again and thrust his hips up into Harry’s. “Mmm, Draco...” Harry thrust back a bit harder while licking and nipping his way over Draco’s neck and throat lovingly.  
  
Harry’s hips were thrusting against Draco’s frantically now, his hands were ghosting over the blond’s arse and back and hips, his mouth suckling his collar bone. Draco threw his head back, crying out in pure ecstasy at Harry’s touches while thrusting his hips forward just as frantically.  
  
Harry gasped out and bit into the tender flesh of Draco’s neck. The sensations over came the blond. He trembled uncontrollably as wave after wave of his orgasm washed over and through his body. Not even a second later, Harry shuddered as his own orgasm erupted through him.  
  
Harry collapsed against his fiancée. Both men were clinging to the other as if their life depended on it and were breathing hard. After a few moments, their breathing returned to normal. He cast a cleaning charm over them both then lifted his head and kissed Draco lightly. “Love you, Dragon,” he whispered against the blond’s neck, which he was now nuzzling.  
  
“And I love you, Harry. But if we don’t sit down soon, I’m going to collapse.” Harry chuckled a bit as he took Draco’s hand and led his fiancée to bed.  
  
***  
  
Draco woke with the sun the next morning, too anxious to sleep.  _I have the rest of my life to sleep. Today is my one and only wedding day,_  he told himself. He looked down at Harry, who had fallen asleep using Draco’s chest as a pillow, to find that he, too, was awake. “Morning, Gorgeous,” Draco mumbled sleepily. Harry sighed contently.  
  
“Morning.” They cuddled in silence for a few moments, Draco’s hand dragging lazily over Harry’s back. Harry cuddled closer. “Feels good,” he mumbled. Draco just smiled and kissed the top of Harry’s head.  
  
“I know it’s kind of late to be asking this,” the blond said after a few more moments, “but what about a photographer?” Harry laughed.  
  
“You’re right. It is late to be thinking of that, Love. But luckily for us, Molly did think of it and Colin Creevy will be there to take all the pictures that our hearts desire.” Draco reached down and swatted Harry across his arse playfully. “Hey!”  
  
“Don’t scare me like that! Especially today! And about something so important!” Harry laughed and kissed his fiancée’s pouting lips. “Did you get Severus’ and Ron’s outfits when you picked out the top piece for the cake?”  
  
“Of course, Dray. I also stopped at the florists and I dropped off the...erm...’leftovers’ from our bachelor party to the twin’s shop.” He kissed Draco’s chest lightly. “Everything is taken care of, My Love. Relax a little and enjoy the day.” Draco snuggled deeper into the bed, wrapping his arms a bit tighter around Harry.  
  
They laid in silence for a long time just enjoying the closeness of each other. Out of the blue, Harry asked, “Do you know who Severus is bringing?” Draco shook his head slightly.  
  
“No. He wouldn’t tell me.”  
  
“Remmy wouldn’t tell me either,” Harry said with a hint of disappointment in his voice.  
  
“Are you suggesting what I think you are, a Thaisce?” Draco raised his head slightly to look at Harry.  
  
“Severus and Remmy? I guess I never really thought about it before...” Harry shook his head a bit. “No. They hated each other in school. Remus was my dad’s and Siri’s best friend.”  
  
“So what? We put our differences aside. Maybe they did, too.”  
  
“Maybe...I guess we’ll see in a few hours, huh?” Harry was silent for another minute before he asked, “What about a last name?”  
  
“What about it? Anything you want, Love.”  
  
“I don’t want to give up mine and I couldn’t ask you to give yours up,” the brunette thought aloud. “Besides,” he continued, looking up at the blond, “’Draco Potter’ sounds weird.” Draco crinkled his nose.  
  
“Yes it does. How about Potter-Malfoy?” Harry tossed the idea around in his head for a minute then beamed.  
  
“I like it.” Draco kissed the Gryffindor’s nose.  
  
“Then that’s what it will be, Love.”  
  
***  
  
Ron Flooed into Harry’s and Draco’s living room at nine o’clock that morning. “Harry! Where are you? ‘Mione says you two have to get ready!”  
  
“I’m in the bedroom, Ron!” Harry shouted to his friend. “Don’t worry! Dray’s in the guest room with Severus already!” Ron heard snickering from the other room but ignored it and went to help Harry.  
  
When Ron closed the door, Harry cast a locking and several silencing charms. “Erm...Harry?” Ron looked puzzled.  
  
“Draco doesn’t know what I’m wearing,” Harry stated simply. “He won’t see me until he starts to walk down the aisle.”  
  
“How’s that, Mate? We’re all going to the Burrow together.”  
  
“He and I are going to wear the outfits we chose for the reception to the Burrow, and change right before the ceremony.”  
  
“Right. Why am I here again?”  
  
“For one, your wife doesn’t know this. Two, Draco and I have yours and Sev’s outfits.”  
  
“Oh. Right.”  
  
Ron got dressed in the fitted black trousers and gold button up shirt Harry handed to him as Harry dressed in an identical outfit, only his shirt was emerald green. As Harry attempted to tame his hair, a loud roar disturbed probably half the neighborhood.  
  
“ _NO_!”

Ron’s head shot up and Harry doubled over with laughter.  
  
“Draco probably just showed Severus his shirt.” Ron looked at his best friend, confused. “It’s the same as yours. Exactly.” Ron tried but couldn’t suppress the laughter.  
  
“ _DRACO MALFOY I WILL NOT WEAR GRYFFINDOR COLORS! NOT NOW, NOT EVER_!” By this point, Harry and Ron were rolling on the bed, clutching their sides and laughing uncontrollably.  
  
Thirty minutes later, all four men were gathered around the kitchen table, sipping tea (or in Ron’s case, coffee) and eating scones. “The gold suits you, Severus,” Ron commented conversationally. Harry snickered.  
  
“Yeah. Good to see you in a color other than black,” he agreed, grinning. Snape just snarled and ignored the two Gryffindors. Harry laughed again, then said, “I’m sorry, Severus. We just heard your objections...well, the whole block did, really...” Snape glared at Harry. “Erm...sorry. That didn’t help my sincerity level very much, did it?” Severus shook his head slightly.  
  
“No, Potter. It didn’t,” he drawled.  
  
The four men sat and made small talk until Severus looked at the clock. “Merlin! You two are going to be late! Mr. Weasley and I will meet you at the Burrow.” Harry and Draco nodded.  
  
“Thanks Sev,” Draco said. He and Harry banished the mugs and plates to the sink and then walked outside to Apparate.  
  
When Harry stepped onto their front steps, his mouth dropped open in shock. In their driveway was a classic, black stretch limousine. Tears welled up in his eyes as he turned to his lover. “But...but you said...I mean, I...” he finally gave up on words and threw his arms around Draco’s neck.  
  
Draco held onto Harry tightly. “I know what I said, Love. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that if we found the right driver, it couldn’t do any harm. It’s your day, Harry. I want you to be happy.” Harry pressed his lips against Draco’s firmly.  
  
“I love you, Draco. More than you’ll ever know.” Harry hugged the blond. “Wait. The right driver?” Draco smirked and nodded towards the car. Harry turned to look and thanked Merlin Draco was behind him because he probably would have fainted. The one person he never would have thought of was sitting behind the wheel of the limo: Mrs. Arabella Figg.  
  
She just waved out the window. “Come on, Boys! Your guests are waiting!” she called cheerfully. Harry fell back into Draco’s arms laughing for a minute before grasping his hand and leading him to the limousine.

Draco shimmied his skin-tight, black leather trousers over his slim hips and then laid back on the bed in an attempt to zip them up with as little pain as possible.  _And I thought getting these on with out a hard-on was difficult!_ He stood in front of the mirror. He smiled a bit at his reflection and then reached for his shirt. There was a soft knock at the door and Draco quickly pulled the t-shirt over his head and called, “Come in!”  
  
He heard the door open and shut softly and he looked up into the mirror to see who was there behind him. He was staring at the reflection of a thin woman with long and flowing stark-white hair and piercing silver eyes. A big, goofy grin was plastered across Draco’s face and he spun around. “Grandmother!” he cried as he practically ran across the room and gathered the woman in a tight bear hug.  
  
The woman awkwardly wrapped her arms around her grandson’s shoulders (he was quite a bit taller than she was, after all!). “My Angel,” she murmured as she hugged him just as tightly. She pulled back enough to look at his face and took it in her hands. “I can’t believe you’re getting married, Angel. Does he treat you right?” Draco nodded.  
  
“Better than gold, Grandmother.”  
  
“Good. Step back, step back-let me look at you!” Draco did as he was told and stood at arms length from his grandmother. “You’ve grown so handsomely, Angel. So when do I get to meet your beloved?”  
  
“When I get to meet whomever you brought with you today,” Draco replied. His grandmother laughed gently.  
  
“Always the Slytherin. I do believe you’ve already met them, though, Angel.” Draco looked at her with a raised eyebrow.  
  
“Do I, Grandmother?”  
  
“You’ve forgotten me already, Draco?” Draco spun towards the door so quickly that he almost fell down. When he saw who was in the doorway, he did fall down-he had fainted.  
  
***  
  
Harry was pulling on his shirt when he heard a loud thump from the room above him. He looked up suddenly and immediately shucked off his pants, pulled on a pair of jeans and bolted for the door. “Where are you going!? You just got undressed!”  
  
“Draco’s in Charlie’s room.”  
  
“So?” Ron questioned. Harry rolled his eyes.  
  
“Charlie’s room is right above us.” Ron’s eyes widened with realization as Harry ran out the door and up the flight of stairs. When he reached Charlie’s bedroom he started pounding on the door with his fists. “Dray! Are you okay?! Draco please let me in! I need to make sure you’re alright!”  
  
The door swung open and Harry saw his fiancée sitting in an armchair, his body bent forward with his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands. Harry rushed over and dropped to his knees in front of the blond. “Draco?” he said gently. The blond didn’t respond. “Please look at me, Dray.” Still no response. “Please, Baby...” Harry half choked out. This time, Draco did look up. His eyes were red and puffy-he’d been crying. Harry took Draco’s face in his hands gently. “What’s wrong, My Love?” Silence. “You have to tell me so I can help fix it, Love...” Draco still didn’t respond to Harry. The Gryffindor was frantic now. Draco had never not responded to him. He looked into Draco’s blue-grey eyes and saw they were focused on a point behind him. Harry followed the blond’s line of vision and gasped when he saw the object of his beloved’s attention. Narcissa Malfoy was standing just behind the door, obviously at a lost as to what to do or say.  
  
“Why?” Draco gasped out before he broke into sobs again. Harry turned back to his fiancée.  
  
“You need to calm down, My Love. You’re supposed to be happy today,” he whispered softly. “Everything that needs to be said and done can be said and done before we leave on our Honeymoon.” Draco shook his head softly. “No what, Love?”  
  
“Now,” he stated, his voice was stronger than any of them had expected. He turned to Narcissa. “I need to know why. Why you blame me, why you kicked me out, why you pushed me away when I needed you and when you needed me. Why did you hurt me like that?”  
  
Narcissa braced herself against the wall behind her. “I don’t blame you. I never blamed you, Draco. I was just so hurt that day-I wasn’t thinking clearly.” The blond woman broke down into sobs. “I’m so sorry that I hurt you, Draco. I know that my saying that and even my meaning it will never excuse it...but I need you to know that I truly am sorry for it all...”  
  
“Why’d you push me away?” Draco almost whispered.  
  
“Because you look so much like him, Baby. My subconscious told me that if I had nothing to remind me of him, then I could forget. By the time I realized my mistake, it was too late-I was too far gone to recover by myself and I’d told everyone that I’d contact them periodically but otherwise I wanted to be left alone. I deteriorated until Mother got so worried that she Flooed over.”  
  
Harry watched and listened to the conversation intensely. After an awkward silence, he leaned up and whispered something into Draco’s ear. The blond looked at him, wide-eyed with shock at the two suggestions his fiancée had just made. Harry squeezed Draco’s hand in reassurance. The blond nodded. He stood up and before anyone knew that he’d even changed positions, Draco had his arms wrapped around his mother’s shoulders tightly and was sobbing into her hair softly.  
  
Realizing a golden opportunity when she saw one, Narcissa hugged her son back tightly, sobbing just as hard as he was. “I’m so sorry, Baby...” she whispered several times.  
  
Finally, Draco cut her off. “Mum.” Narcissa looked up at him and he smiled at her. “I know.” She beamed and Draco kissed her cheek. “Walk me down the aisle with Grandmother.” It was a demand, more than a request but he knew that his mother would never deny him (or herself) such a thing.  
  
Harry got up off the floor and left the room so Draco could talk to his mum and grandmother privately. Just before he walked back into Ron’s room, Hermione caught up with him. “Why aren’t you dressed, Harry!? You have to be downstairs in forty minutes!”  
  
“I know, ‘Mione. There was a slight problem with Draco that I had to take care of. I’m going to put my pants on and then I’ll be down so Ron and I can Floo to Draco’s house at the beach. Don’t worry. I’ve got it all under control.” He pecked his friend on the cheek, smiled at her and went to get changed.  
  
***  
  
An hour later, Harry was standing on a beach of the New Jersey shore line (who’d have thought the Malfoy’s owned property here, of all places?). The blue-green waves were breaking to his right and a slight breeze (in addition to a cooling charm) was keeping everyone cool.  
  
A few minutes later, the wedding march started. Everyone turned in their seats and gasped. Most had been surprised by Narcissa’s presence. But Harry was amazed at Draco’s beauty.  
  
***  
  
Draco stepped into the aisle with his grandmother on one arm and his mum on the other. When he looked down the aisle at Harry, his breath hitched. He was wearing his Christmas outfit. Draco groaned inwardly and hoped to whatever deity was listening that on one would notice his raging erection.  
  
When he got to the alter, he kissed both women on the cheek and turned to Harry. “You’re going to pay for it, Harry,” he growled under his breath. Harry grinned.  
  
“I’m looking forward to it,” he whispered back. He then looked towards Arthur to let him know they were ready.  
  
“Who gives Draco to Harry?” Narcissa stood.  
  
“His grandmother and I do.” Arthur nodded.  
  
“And who gives Harry to Draco?” Molly, Charlie, Bill, Ron, Ginny, Fred, George and Hermione all stood.  
  
“His family does,” Molly declared. Tears fell down Harry’s cheeks as Arthur nodded again.  
  
“The boys have prepared their own vows,” he stated simply. Harry and Draco turned to face each other. Harry spoke first.  
  
“Just three little words don’t seem like enough for someone whose smile still brightens my day and whose touch can make me forget the rest of the world. They don’t seem like enough for someone who’s always here to celebrate with me when everything goes my way and to hold my hand when the whole world seems to fall apart. But even though ‘I Love You’ can’t express the depth of my feelings for you, I hope you know what’s in my heart because loving you means more to me than anything and it always will. You are my life, my North Star...My everything. I love you more than life itself, My Dragon, and I always, always will.”  
  
Tears were flowing freely from everyone now. Arthur took a moment to compose himself, then spoke. “Repeat after me, Harry. I, Harry James Potter, take you, Draco Lucius Malfoy, to be my husband.”  
  
“I, Harry James Potter, take you, Draco Lucius Malfoy, to be my husband.”  
  
“I promise to cherish you and our love and I vow to love, honor and respect you for all eternity.”  
  
“I promise to cherish you and our love and I vow to love, honor and respect you for all eternity.” Draco smiled faintly as Harry slipped a plain platinum band onto his left ring finger. He then began to speak his vows.  
  
“Every day I think that I can’t possibly love you more. And then the next day comes and I find that I do. If I could have just one wish, I would wish to wake up every day to the sound of your breath on my neck, the warmth of your lips on my cheek, the touch of your fingers on my skin, and the feel of your heart beating with mine. And today I get my one wish. Two years ago, my spirits were broken and I was close to giving up. But then I saw you on the pitch that night and you showed me that someone cared. I don’t know how I can ever repay you, a Thaisce, but I intend on spending the rest of my life trying.”  
  
“Repeat after me, Draco. I, Draco Lucius Malfoy, take you, Harry James Potter, to be my husband.”  
  
“I, Draco Lucius Malfoy, take you, Harry James Potter, to be my husband.”  
  
“I promise to cherish you and our love and I vow to love, honor and respect you for all eternity.”  
  
“I promise to cherish you and our love and I vow to love, honor and respect you for all eternity.” Draco slipped a matching wedding band onto Harry’s left ring finger.  
  
“I now pronounce you husbands. You may kiss your mate.” Harry grinned and kissed Draco passionately, shoving all of his love through his lips. When they broke apart, they turned towards their guests as Arthur announced, “I present to you, Mr. and Mr. Potter-Malfoy.” The boys grinned at their family and friends, who were applauding and crying, as they made their way back up the aisle.

***

Harry and Draco Flooed back to The Burrow before their guests. As soon as Draco stepped out of the fire place, he was enveloped in Harry’s arms and lips. The blond gladly and willingly kissed his new husband and only bulled back for lack of oxygen. “Have you gotten over your shock from this morning, My Love?” Harry asked breathlessly. Draco only nodded. The Gryffindor kissed his Slytherin’s nose affectionately. “Good. We should get downstairs. We have all night to ourselves.”  
  
“I know we should but that outfit is driving me mad with lust for you.” Harry chuckled. “That’s why you wore it, isn’t it! Just to tease me!” Draco accused.  
  
“That’s not the only reason! That was just...” Harry chose his next words carefully, “a bonus to it all!” Draco rolled his eyes at his husband before he took the brunette’s hand and led him towards the door.  
  
***  
  
For so few people, the applause was overly loud. Harry gripped Draco’s hand tighter, uncomfortable with all the attention. Draco gave his husband’s hand a reassuring squeeze and led him towards the buffet. He was starving and he knew Harry had to be, too.  
  
Tom Latrella started the music right away and everyone seemed to relax a bit. Just before they reached the buffet, both Harry and Draco were pulled into rib-crushing hugs. By the silky, platinum hair, Harry knew instantly who was hugging him and he wrapped his arms around his mother and grandmother-in-law. Once they pulled back, Draco took his hand again. “Mum. Grandmother, this is My Harry,” he stated as if they’d only just begun dating, rather than just gotten married.  
  
Harry just smiled, though, and took each woman’s hand and kissed the back of it. Draco’s grandmother looked like she was about to burst at the seams with happiness at the display of old-fashioned manners. “It’s nice to finally meet you both,” he greeted.  
  
“The pleasure is all mine,” replied Narcissa. “I’ve waited since your fifth year to meet the boy Draco was smitten over.”  
  
“Fifth year?” Harry gaped at Draco.  
  
“I think Mum is exaggerating a bit,” Draco stated dryly, glaring at the woman in question.  
  
“Honestly Draco! Do you really believe that? Harry was all you talked about! Your father may have bought your hatred for him but I saw the passion in your eyes that you tried so hard to hide away.” Draco looked shocked.  
  
“But...no...I mean yes but...no!” he stammered. Harry laughed and placed a chaste, light kiss on his husband’s cheek. The blond mock glared at his husband and mother. “I don’t think I’m wanted here anymore.” He offered his arm to his grandmother. “May I escort you to lunch, Grandmother?” The older woman smiled and took her grandson’s elbow gently.  
  
“Of course.”  
  
Harry and Narcissa laughed as Harry offered her his arm as well.  
  
Before they knew it, a butter knife was tapping against the side of a glass and Ron was standing up. “I’m not good at this kind of stuff,” he started, “but I’m told that it’s tradition, so here goes. Harry was my first, real friend. It’s sad to say but he’d fit right in with any group of Hufflepuff’s any day.” Some people chuckled politely, Hermione swatted her husband’s thigh and Draco out-right laughed. “Everyone here knows about our...erm...'adventures' at school and at home but what you don’t know is how Harry’s and Hermione’s friendship and intelligence (more polite laughter) kept us all alive. I was along for the ride most of the time but Harry always made me feel like I was needed and vital to all of the life-threatening situations we found ourselves in. And for that, I love him like my own brother. So on that note:  
  
“May love and laughter light your days and warm your heart and home. May good and faithful friends be yours wherever you may roam. May peace and plenty bless your world with joy that long endures, and may all of life’s passing seasons bring the best to you and yours. May God be with you and bless you, may you see your children’s children. May you be poor in misfortune, rich in blessings, and may you know nothing but happiness from this day forward.” Their guests applauded, many with tears in their eyes, as Harry pulled Ron into a rib-crushing, bear hug.  
  
After everyone had settled back down, to everyone’s surprise, Severus stood up and raised his glass. “May you always have walls for the wind, a roof for the rain, tea beside the fire, laughter to cheer you, those you love near you, and all that your heart may desire. May you love in peace without weeping, may your joy outline the lives of those you touch without ceasing, and may your love fill the world by angelic wings tenderly beating.” Draco gave his godfather an appreciative smile, fearing being hexed into oblivion if he hugged him like his mother and grandmother were doing. Then he nudged his husband.  
  
“While we have their attention, we should probably cut the cake,” he suggested. Harry nodded and they walked over to the three tier, chocolate cake. When Draco saw miniature versions of himself and Harry zipping around on Firebolts, he laughed and then addressed their guests. “Both Harry and I would like to thank you all. Not only for being here today but for everything you’ve ever done and for the support you gave us, both individually and as a couple. It means the world to us that we get to share our day with the people we consider our family.” The two men took the cake knife from the table and made the first slice into their wedding cake as they shared a kiss.  
  
Draco placed the first slice onto a plate, broke a piece off with his fingers and held it up to Harry’s mouth. Harry took the offered cake, and Draco’s fingers, into his mouth. He sucked on the blond’s fingers suggestively for a second before pulling away and grinning at his husband’s lust-darkened eyes and tinged cheeks. Then he offered Draco a piece of their wedding cake and after his fingers had been sensually sucked clean, Harry dipped his index finger back into the icing and put it on the tip of Draco’s nose. The blond looked at Harry, mortified. “What?” Harry asked innocently.  
  
“You just put frosting on my nose,” Draco stated flatly. Harry shrugged.  
  
“I figured that was better than the usual custom...”  
  
“I know I’m going to regret this but: what might that be?” Harry grinned mischievously.  
  
“This.” He took Draco’s hand (which was still holding the plate with their slice of cake), and pushed it up into Draco’s face. Everyone cheered while Draco just stood there at a loss for words. When Harry’s lips twitched as he tried to hold in his laughter, Draco lost it.  
  
“Oh you’re gonna get it, Potter,” he growled as he took a fistful from the bottom tier of the cake.  
  
“That’s Potter-Malfoy now,” he corrected, trying to distract Draco from the wedding cake in his hand. For his efforts, said cake was smashed into his face. Harry feigned shock as he grabbed another handful of cake to throw at his husband.  _It’s too bad no one else is going to get to taste this,_  he thought semi-regretfully as he launched it at Draco. His heart stopped when, as if in slow motion, Draco ducked out of the way and hit Draco’s grandmother square in the face.  
  
Everything and everyone around them seemed to freeze. Harry was about to start babbling out an apology when the old woman spoke. “I am much too old and dignified to participate in such child’s play.” She politely began to clean the icing off with her napkin. Harry felt as if he wanted to cry. “Narcissa,” she said as she turned to her daughter, “do it for me.”  
  
Narcissa stifled a giggle and said, “Yes, Mother,” as she took a piece of cauliflower and flung it at Harry. The brunette looked mortified as the vegetable hit him in the forehead. Draco burst out laughing. “Are you going to let her get away with that?” Draco asked. Harry looked at him as if he’d grown three heads.  
  
“You’re not going to defend my honor?”  
  
“Nope,” he said simply. “It was your piece of cake that hit Grandmother so you have to deal with the consequences.”  
  
“Fine then!” He picked up a potato and threw it at his mother-in-law just as Draco tossed a piece of cake at Ron, who was laughing particularly hard.  
  
Ron stopped laughing suddenly. “Harry, I love you like a brother,” he stated calmly, “but your husband is gonna get it.” With that, a full-fledged food fight broke out. Pieces of cake, vegetables, potatoes and meat flew across the room, sometimes hitting their intended target, but most of the time not.  
  
Out of the corner of his eye, Harry saw Ginny dive under the table to save her dress from the madness and, before he was pegged in the cheek with a roasted potato, he wondered what the bowl of pudding she was holding was for.  
  
***  
  
“I don’t know if I want to-“ Ginny stopped in the middle of her sentence as a carrot zoomed by her ear. She squeaked. “Eep!” She grabbed the bowl of chocolate pudding off of the buffet and dove under the table. _I’ll show them what a real food fight is like,_  she claimed to herself as she settled down and wondered which of her brothers was going to walk by first.  
  
She didn’t have to wait long. Only a minute had passed since she had climbed under the table when she spotted a pair of legs headed straight towards her.  _George!_  She thought gleefully. She carefully poked her head out from under the table cloth and threw the pudding with all of her might at her brother. As soon as she did, she regretted it.  
  
***  
  
Harry continued to fling food in every direction and at everyone. He turned around to throw something back at Fleur and he froze. He saw Ginny crawling out from under the table she’d sought refuge under with a gleam in her eyes that rivaled Dumbledore’s and the bowl of pudding being pulled back in preparation for it to be thrown. He tried to call out to stop her, but before he could even open his mouth, Severus Snape was covered in the gooey dessert.  
  
Ginny’s jaw dropped, as did as the glass bowl, and everyone stopped mid-throw. Snape seemed to be seething: his back was straight, his hands were clenched into tight fists at his sides (his right one gripping his wand) and his head was held high but Harry had no doubts that he was sending Ginny a deadly glare down his nose.  
  
“Mrs. Longbottom!” he boomed. In an instant, Ginny was in front of her former professor.  
  
“I’m so sorry, Sir! I thought you were my brother! Really! If I could just go get my wand I could-“  
  
“I’m quite aware that a simple cleaning spell will suffice,” he interrupted her. “However, if you insist on throwing desserts at people, might I suggest using a dessert that they actually enjoy?” As the Potions Master raised his wand, Ginny flinched. When she opened her eyes a full second later, she squeaked again at the overly-large, lime green Jello mold (complete with bits of fruit!) that was hanging over her head.  
  
Ginny turned as fast as she could and darted towards the door to try and escape the inevitable. Just as her hand touched the door knob, though, the Jello dropped straight down onto her head, lodging the chunks of fruit into her red (and now gooey) hair.  
  
Once again, everyone froze at the next sound to pass over Severus Snape’s, resident greasy, snarky git of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry’s, lips.  _Is that...laughter?_  Harry mused to himself. He looked at his husband in confusion but the blond just shrugged.

Draco slowly made his way over to Harry. When he finally reached him, the blond tugged on his husband’s sleeve gently. They both performed cleaning charms on each other. “I think I’m going to go talk to my mum now. Do you think Ron’ll mind if we took over his room for a bit?”  
  
“Of course not, Love.” Harry hugged Draco. “Yell if you need me, okay?” The blond nodded, kissed his husband’s cheek and went to find his mother.  
  
***  
  
Five minutes later, Draco’s grandmother, Narcissa and Draco were sitting in Ron’s room in a very uncomfortable and awkward silence. Finally, Narcissa spoke. “Talk to me, Draco.” Her voice was soft, but demanding.  
  
“I don’t know where to begin.”  
  
“From the beginning always works best for me.” Draco took a deep breath.  
  
“I just don’t understand, I guess. I don’t understand how you could have loved him so much that you turned a blind eye to the harshness, the killings, the rapes, the torture...the everything. I was never able to understand why you loved him more than you loved me or why he didn’t love me even as a child. I always did my best to please him, to make him proud of me but I was never good enough. And you were never there to tell me otherwise, either. I just always felt like you both would have been happier if you’d never had me, that I set his plans to be Voldemort’s right-hand man back by years. Is that why he was so cold towards me? Because he had those plans and I screwed them all up?” Draco was trembling as he finished speaking. Narcissa had tears falling down her cheeks, as did her mother.  
  
“Oh, Draco! Your father and I both loved you very much! He was never good at showing his feelings for anything but that doesn’t mean that he didn’t love you! He was cold towards everyone-not just you, Baby. And he was always very proud of you-never think anything different of him. And I only loved him differently than you-definitely not more than you! I know what he did at those meetings but he had an agreement: he wouldn’t tell me about any of it and I wouldn’t ask. I turned a blind eye to it all because if I tried to leave, he’d take you from me and no matter what anyone has ever told you, Draco, you were my reason for living. I did love him very deeply, Draco, but never doubt that I loved you, too.”  
  
“Why did Grandmother bring you to St. Mungo’s?” he asked quietly looking at the ground.  
  
“I’d lost both of you in one day. My husband was ordered dead by the thing that he worshipped and I was so distraught by that that I made my only son think that I blamed him. I was a wreck trying to grieve with both losses and the guilt of treating you the way I did. I secluded myself completely-I disconnected the Floo from every room, I sent owls away...I just couldn’t handle it. Mother got worried after a few weeks so she had the Ministry connect the Floo for an emergency. When she found me, I was in a guest bedroom with the curtains drawn. I hadn’t eaten in close to a week, I hadn’t left that room since the day I sent you away...I was delusional. I didn’t know what day it was or who Mother was-I was, essentially, a babbling idiot.”  
  
“How did you get better?”  
  
“Mother. When she got your wedding invitation, she came to the hospital. She told me that I needed to snap out of it because my son was getting married. She kept that up for about a week before she lost her patience. She came into my room and said, ‘Narcissa, wake up! Your son is getting married and I will  _not_  be a happy camper if you don’t walk him down the aisle!’.” Draco chuckled. “She told me to stop my pity party because it wasn’t going to get you back into my life. I still didn’t respond, I suppose, so she told me, ‘Fine ‘Cissa. If you never want to see or speak to Draco again, that’s your loss!’ I snapped out of it when I heard your name.” Draco smiled for a second, then frowned again.  
  
“She didn’t mention me before that?”  
  
“I did, Angel, but not your name. I thought I’d be doing more damage so I’d say, ‘Angel is doing well’ or ‘I haven’t talked to him in a long time.’ That last day I was just so mad that I wasn’t thinking and for the first time in my life, I don’t regret speaking before thinking.” Draco smiled again.  
  
“So why didn’t you owl me?”  
  
“Would you have listened?” Narcissa countered.  
  
“No,” he admitted.  
  
“Besides. I wanted to surprise you.”  
  
“More like give me a bloody heart attack!” he accused his mother. Narcissa laughed.  
  
“I thought I had when you fainted!”  
  
“I really am sorry, Mum,” Draco said out of nowhere. “Something just snapped when they pushed you. And I knew they’d be back. Deep down, I still know it but it’s hard to listen to logic about it most of the time. Sometimes I wish I was strong, like Harry, and just fought them. Maybe then we’d still be a family.” Narcissa hugged her son tightly.  
  
“We still are a family, Baby. You, I, Grandmother and Harry are the perfect family because it works for us.” Draco looked up at his mother.  
  
“Would Father be happy for me? Or would he disown me for loving Harry Potter?” Draco’s tone was cool and even but his eyes spoke volumes-he was scared of Narcissa’s answer.  
  
“Oh, Honey, he’d have been so happy that you found happiness with someone.”  
  
“Even Harry?”  
  
“Well, he may have needed some time to adjust to that part but in the end, I’m sure he’d have been very happy for you.”  
  
“Would he have supported my decision?”  
  
“Without question.”  
  
“I hate that I don’t know these things about him for myself.”  
  
“I know, Draco. I can’t even imagine how you must feel. But maybe mine and your grandmother’s present will help you deal with those feelings a bit.” Draco looked up in confusion as Narcissa presented him with a large, extravagantly wrapped present. Carefully pulling the paper away, Draco gasped.  
  
“It...it’s his portrait...but you should have-“  
  
“I have one. This one is yours.”  
  
“Thank you,” he said softly, still awe-struck by the gift.  
  
As he turned to set it aside, Narcissa asked, “So tell me about Harry.” She sat down on the edge of the bed and patted the seat next to her. Draco sat down and began to talk.  
  
“He’s wonderful. At first I was really scared to trust him-but I wanted to so much. He never took ‘no’ for an answer, though. I think, deep down, he understood that I needed to build a trust towards him in my own way and time. He sat with me for an entire night and let me talk about you and Father-he never said a word, he just let me get it all out. He always does that when I need it and, somehow, he always knows when I need it without me having to tell him. He’s got a huge heart, Mum. He loves everybody unconditionally and he goes out of his way to help absolutely anyone, whether they asked for his help or not. He’s the typical brave Gryffindor-we’d only had our first date when he agreed to go into hiding with me-but if he hadn’t been Harry Potter, he’d have fit right into Slytherin. And Hufflepuff,” the blond admitted as he looked up at his mother. “And, most importantly, he’s filthy rich and insists on spoiling me!” Narcissa threw her head back and laughed at her son while playfully swatting him on the arm.  
  
“Would you like to hear about my date? Or are you going to interrogate him on your own?” Draco’s head shot up.  
  
“Date? You came with Grandmother.”  
  
“Only so I didn’t shock you even more than I already had. Your grandmother wasn’t my only visitor for all those years.” Draco looked at her, puzzled.  
  
“Who else?”  
  
“An old school mate. He, too, is very brave and loyal. He’d stick out like a lion in a pack of snakes in Slytherin but he’s smart enough to have made Ravenclaw proud. He’s a very quiet, private man but loving and attentive-he may not always say how he feels but he never allows you to doubt that he cares.”  
  
“Were you...I mean when Father was...erm...” Draco looked up at Narcissa, his eyes wide, innocent and full of questions.  
  
“No,” she answered firmly. “Just friends, even now. I still haven’t dealt with the loss of your father enough to start a relationship with anyone else.” Draco nodded slowly in understanding.  
  
“Do I know him?”  
  
“Not very well, but yes, you’ve met him before.”  
  
“Did he support Voldemort?”  
  
“Never. He’s been a member of the Order since day one.”  
  
“Did Father know you were friends with him?”  
  
“Yes and no. He knew we’d occasionally meet for lunch but Lucius didn’t know I confided in him and owled him at least once a day.” Draco looked shocked.  
  
“Really? How did you keep that from him?”  
  
“Oh it was simple as soon as I knew what he looked for. Sometimes I’d have a house elf mail it for me. Other times, I’d charm the letter so only the intended reader could see it was even a letter. When I was in Diagon Alley, I’d just go to the post office and use one of their owls.”  
  
“Okay, I give up. Who is he?”  
  
A soft knock at the door prevented Narcissa from answering her son but by her reaction, Draco knew he had his answer. The younger blonde woman smiled at the man warmly.  
  
“I think Harry is getting antsy for his husband and I wouldn’t mind a dance with my lovely date, as well.” Narcissa smiled.  
  
“We’ll be right down, Love.” The man nodded and closed the door softly as he turned to go back downstairs.

 ***

Harry shifted nervously from foot to foot. He hoped Draco’s talk with Narcissa had gone the way he’d wanted it to.  
  
“Calm down, Mate,” Ron commented supportively. “I’m sure things are fine. If they weren’t, he’d have called for you.” Harry nodded absently. He was sure Ron was right but he couldn’t help but worry.  
  
“I know. But I still worry about him.” The redhead nodded his understanding.  
  
“Well,” he said after a moment, “if you’re so worried about him, then why are you letting him wander aimlessly around the room looking for you?” Harry’s head snapped up as he scanned the room. He quickly spotted his husband and abandoned his best friend.  
  
Harry came up behind Draco and wrapped his arms around the blond’s waist. “I missed you, My Dragon,” he murmured.  
  
Draco just leaned back into Harry’s arms and sighed contently. “I missed you, too, a Thaisce.”  
  
“Everything go okay?” The blond nodded.  
  
“Do you know who Mum is here with?”  
  
“Your grandmother,” Harry replied simply. “Really, Love, do you think that I’m that thick?” Draco shook his head.  
  
“Not quite...she’s here with-“  
  
“Ladies and gentlemen,” boomed over the loud speakers. “If you’d please take your seats, Harry and Draco would like to have their first dance.” Draco squeezed the Gryffindor’s hand gently as they started walking towards the middle of the dance floor.  
  
As they reached the center of it, the intro to their song started. The men wrapped their arms around the other’s waist and slowly swayed to the music. “So it went okay, Love?” Draco nodded.  
  
“We talked about all the things that had been bothering me. Talked about you.” Draco smirked a bit.  
  
“What about me?”  
  
“How rich you are and how you like to spoil me rotten.”  
  
“Oh. I see how it is,” Harry joked as he playfully started to pull away from his husband. Draco grinned and tightened his grip around Harry’s waist, effectively pulling him closer. Harry smiled up at Draco as he tilted his head up, silently asking for a kiss.  
  
“You deny spoiling me and then you ask for a kiss?” Harry laughed.  
  
“I didn’t deny it! And I never would, just to let you know,” he finished quite childishly, making the blond laugh.  
  
“Good,” he declared as he brought his lips down to Harry’s and kissed him lightly.  
  
As the song came to a close, another slow one faded in and other couples began joining the newlyweds on the dance floor: Molly and Arthur, Ginny and Neville, Hermione and Ron.  
  
As they did, Draco began to look around for his mother and her date. “Are you alright?” Draco nodded.  
  
“Just looking for Mum and Remus.” Harry cocked his head slightly to the side.  
  
“Why are you looking for Remus?” Draco smiled as he spotted his mother and nodded for Harry to turn around. His jaw dropped slightly at the sight of his mother-in-law wrapped (quite tightly) in the arms of his surrogate godfather.  
  
“When did that happen!” Draco chuckled.  
  
“Apparently they’ve been friends for sometime now.”  
  
“They look cute together. Have you seen Severus’ date?”  
  
“No.” Draco pouted. “Why? Have you? Who is she? Where are they? I’ll hex him for you knowing first!” Harry laughed at his husband while kissing his cheek.  
  
“No, Love. I don’t know who his date is or where he is, for that matter. Just calm down. The mother-son dance is next and I’m sure we’ll see him after that.” Draco nodded.  
  
“You’re right.” He kissed Harry gently and pulled him closer.  
  
As the second song faded out and the third began, Draco kissed Harry’s cheek and walked over to where Remus and Narcissa were dancing. He tapped Remus on the shoulder, asking if he could cut in, and, when granted permission, Draco began to dance with his mother. All the while, Harry was going through the same politeness with Arthur and Molly. Each mother-son couple danced side by side, making small talk for a very short amount of time when Draco’s grandmother tapped Molly on the shoulder. “Do you mind, Dear? I’d like a chance to talk properly with my new grandson.”  
  
There was a slight emphasis on the word “properly” that made Harry a little nervous. But he smiled nonetheless as Molly stepped back and answered, “Of course.”  
  
Harry took his grandmother-in-law into his arms and began to sway to the music with her. “I heard you caused my Angel a lot of grief while you were in school, young man,” she chided gently. Harry blushed slightly as Draco snickered.  
  
“It was nothing that he didn’t deserve,” he mumbled. Draco’s jaw dropped in feigned innocence.  
  
“Oh what a load of crap!” Harry returned his husband’s shocked look.  
  
“You totally deserved it all!” Draco snickered again.  
  
“You heard grandmother. I’m an angel,” he retorted childishly.  
  
“Yeah,” Harry mumbled under his breath, “when you’re trying to kiss someone’s arse.” Draco’s grandmother burst out laughing, as did Narcissa.  
  
“He’s got you there, Draco,” Narcissa teased. Harry stuck his tongue out at the Slytherin and Draco pouted.  
  
“Gee, love you all, too.”  
  
As the song ended, a more upbeat one came on and the quartet sat down to finally enjoy some of the food that wasn’t currently stuck to a wall or on the floor, and to talk.  
  
About thirty minutes after that, another slow song came on and Draco began to incessantly tap Harry’s arm. Harry finally looked over to the blond, fully annoyed. “For Merlin’s sakes, Dray, what is it?” Draco only pointed to the dance floor where Severus was dancing with someone. When Fred and Katie Bell moved out of Harry’s line of vision, he half choked on the water he’d been drinking. “Is...is that...” Draco only nodded.  
  
“Uh huh.”  
   
***  
  
Draco continued to nod dumbly for a few more seconds before Narcissa noticed what the boys were staring at.  
  
“Oooh! Doesn’t Nymphadora look lovely today, Mother?” The eldest Black nodded.  
  
“Mmm,” she agreed. “And Severus looks quite dashing with her, too.” Narcissa nodded.  
  
“You...you know about...about that?!” Draco sputtered. Narcissa looked at her son in surprise.  
  
“Why, of course I did, Dear. Tonks and your godfather have been dating for...how long, Mother? One year?”  
  
“I believe it’s been more like eighteen months, ‘Cissa.”  
  
After thinking about it for a moment, she agreed with her mother. “Yes, that sounds about right.”  
  
“You talk about it like it’s natural!” Draco cried out. Luckily his outburst was covered by the loud music.  
  
“Draco!” his grandmother reprimanded. Draco slightly sank down in his chair. “Severus never judged your relationship or who it was with!”  
  
“Yes, ma’am,” he mumbled, his cheeks tingeing a bit.  
  
“And furthermore,” she continued, “even if he had, it does not give you license to behave just as childishly!” Draco sank a bit lower in his seat. “No matter what he thinks of your decisions, he loves you unconditionally and, more than  _that_ , he respects you! He deserves that same love and respect!”  
  
“Yes, ma’am,” he mumbled again as he inched closer to Harry, seeking comfort and support.  
  
Harry was torn. On the one hand, he wanted to hold Draco-he hated seeing his love uncomfortable. But on the other hand, Harry was, quite literally, scared for his life by the look in Mrs. Black’s eyes at that moment.  
  
After several seconds of very uncomfortable silence, Severus and Tonks walked over to their table and Harry couldn’t figure out if he was saved or if he was damned.  
  
“You could have told me, you know,” Draco sneered. Harry looked over at his husband and only saw anger seeping out of his grey-blue eyes.  _Yep. Definitely damned,_  Harry concluded as he draped his arm around the blond’s shoulders and gave him a gentle squeeze.  
  
“When?” Snape countered. “When you were in hiding for two years? When you were facing the prospect of facing the murderers of your father? Or maybe when you looked like the Dark Lord himself had just released you from the Cruciatus as you were shaking so badly because you were so nervous about your wedding day? When would have been good for you, Draco?”  
  
“Just...I just would have liked to hear it from you, is all.” He pecked Harry on the cheek. “I need a bit of fresh air,” he mumbled to his husband. As he passed by his cousin he gave her a light hug and whispered, “Don’t hurt him, Dora.” She only nodded her acknowledgement as he pulled away and turned to his godfather. “I’m sorry. No one would tell me and it was just a bit of a shock.” Draco graced Severus with a small, genuine smile that he normally reserved only for Harry and then he made his way outside.  
  
***  
  
Twenty minutes later, Harry spotted Draco reenter the room and made his way over to him. After kissing the blond’s cheek, he asked, “Feeling better, My Dragon?” The blond nodded.  
  
“Yes. I just needed a few minutes to get over the shock.” Harry nodded his head in understanding. “And as much as I love our family, I think we should make our excuses because our check-in time is in two hours and,” before finishing his sentence, Draco took Harry in his arms and pressed his lips to his husband’s ear, “I want to fuck you into the mattress,” he hissed through his clenched teeth. A shiver of anticipation ran down Harry’s spine and he grinned at Draco.  
  
“You don’t have to tell me twice! Where are we going?” Draco smirked, pulled two tickets out of his pocket and handed them to his husband. Harry looked at them and then his jaw dropped.  
  
“These are World Cup tickets!” He looked up at Draco, his eyes wide with shock. “Top box at that! How did you get these, Dray?”  
  
“I wrote to Viktor for him,” Hermione answered as she came up behind them. Harry turned to his friend, then back to his husband before he threw his arms around both of them.   
  
“You two are beyond words,” he mumbled through tears of gratitude.  
  
***  
  
After a few more minutes of “thank you”’s, Harry and Draco said goodbye to their family and Apparated to their hotel.

Draco Apparated both himself and Harry into the lobby of the wizarding hotel Viktor Krum had generously gotten them reservations in. He walked up to the front desk immediately. The clerk looked up and smiled. “May I help you, Sir?”

“Potter-Malfoy,” he stated simply.

“Ah, yes. The Honeymoon Suite. Fourteen days.” The clerk placed a quill on the counter along with a piece of parchment. “This just authorizes us to receive the funds from your Gringotts accounts,” he explained. Draco nodded and signed where the desk clerk indicated. When he finished, the clerk handed the blond a receipt and another piece of parchment. Indicating the latter, he explained, “This is the password to your room. It will changed at the end of this week so please keep this in a safe place as it will reveal your new password as soon as it has changed.” Draco nodded as he put the parchment into his wallet. “Enjoy your stay, Mr. Potter-Malfoy, and please let us know if there is anything that my staff can do to make your stay more pleasant.”

“Thank you. Mine and my husband’s belongings have been brought to our suite?”

“Yes, sir. The house elves have taken care of it.” Draco thanked the desk clerk one last time before taking Harry by the hand and leading him up to the Honeymoon Suite. Once they’d reached the door, Harry pulled his husband to him and kissed him deeply as he gently reached down and swept Draco off his feet, preparing to carry him over the threshold of the room.

“Hey!” the blond protested. “I was going to do that!” Harry chuckled.

“ _I_  asked  _you_  to marry me. That makes  _you_  the bride in this marriage and therefore this honor is my right.” Draco “hmph”ed as Harry kissed over his cheek gently to his ear. “I’ll make it up to you, Draco,” he whispered. The blond pouted a bit more.

“Can’t.”

“I promise you,” the Gryffindor whispered in between licks to his husband’s overly-tempting neck, “that once that door is closed behind us,” another series of licks and nibbles, “I will be at your mercy.” Harry pulled his lips away from Draco’s ear to look at his face. The blond’s smokey blue eyes were black with lust.

“Eternal,” the Slytherin managed to growl before his baser instincts completely took over and he claimed Harry’s mouth forcefully. Harry groaned into the kiss and, mindful of Draco’s head, carried his husband into their hotel room and kicked the door shut behind them. As soon as the door  _clicked_  shut, Draco tore his mouth away from Harry’s. “Put me down,” he commanded gently. Harry complied and gently stood the Slytherin in front of him. Draco used his index finger to trace the contours of Harry’s chest through his shirt. “I wasn’t lying at the reception, Harry,” he said softly. The blond lifted his eyes and looked directly into Harry’s. “I want to fuck you into the mattress tonight.”

Another shiver of excitement ran down Harry’s spine. Draco leaned in close to his husband, their lips almost touching while his hand traveled down Harry’s hard body and began to toy with his thighs. “Will you let me?” the blond whispered. Harry, beyond any and all coherent thought and speech at that point, frantically nodded his head. Draco grinned as he closed what little space there was between their lips and cupped Harry’s obvious erection firmly through the leather trousers. Harry thrust his hips into his husband’s hands as he growled low in his throat and let the blond dominate his mouth.

When Draco’s hands abandoned Harry’s cock to unbutton and unzip the pants, the brunette whimpered at the loss of contact and pressure. Draco pulled from the kiss, too, smirking at the noises of disappointment his husband was making. Draco left the trousers open, but still on Harry’s hips. As he let his fingertips gently poke, prod and massage Harry’s belly down to the top of the dark nest of curls that was just peaking through the undone zipper, he also ghosted his lips over Harry’s cheeks, ears and jawbone. After enduring a few more moments of teasing, Harry couldn’t take it anymore. “Draco, I swear to Merlin that if you don’t do something other than bloody tease me, you’re going to regret it!” he ground out through clenched teeth. Draco chuckled.

“Can’t have that, now can we?” He whispered a charm and all of their clothing was instantly pooled around their feet. They both kicked the clothes aside and made their way to the bed, hands and lips exploring each other’s bodies and mouths as if they were about to make love for the first time. Draco laid Harry on his back, following him. He settled between the Gryffindor’s Quidditch toned thighs and continued to kiss him senseless after muttering a lubrication charm. He reached down and firmly pushed at Harry’s entrance with his index finger but not entering him just yet. Harry’s back arched at the act and he tried to push back at the finger to get it inside but it seemed that no matter how hard he pushed down, Draco would loosen the pressure of his finger just enough to keep it from breaching his husband.

“Inside me  _NOW_!” Harry hissed in Parseltongue. Draco sucked in a sharp breath at the sexy sounds his lover was making. He licked Harry’s thigh.

“I have no clue what you just said but you sounded sexy as hell saying it,” he informed his husband.

Through clenched teeth, Harry replied, “I said ‘inside me now’!” He put emphasis on the last word by thrusting his hips down towards Draco’s unsuspecting hand, successfully impaling himself. He howled in pleasure and ground his hips down more. Draco smirked as he held Harry’s hips in place and finished preparing him, taking care to brush against the brunette’s prostate several times. When he was satisfied that he wouldn’t hurt his Harry, Draco carefully withdrew his fingers, shushing the cries of protest from his husband, and stroked his cock carefully and slowly, taking care to thoroughly lubricate it.

“It’ll hurt less from behind,” he said soothingly. Harry shook his head.

“I want to see your eyes,” he said softly but firmly.

“Are you sure?”

When Harry nodded, Draco nodded back and slowly began to push the head of his cock past Harry’s tight ring of muscle. Harry winced slightly as the tip of his husband finally breached him. Draco instantly stilled. “Are you okay? Do you want me to stop?” Harry shook his head vigorously as he took a few deep, soothing breaths. Draco waited patiently, stroking Harry’s thighs until Harry nodded. “You sure?” The Gryffindor thrust his hips up a bit.

“More, Dray,” he quietly begged. Draco silently obeyed, slowly sliding deeper into the heaven that was his Harry. Finally completely sheathed, Draco paused again for his husband to adjust. Harry was having none of it and pushed back against Draco. “Fuck me,” he whimpered.

The blond smiled a genuine smile at his husband before he began thrusting in and out of the tight channel without reserve. Harry yowled his pleasure in between babbling in Parseltongue. Feeling that tightly wound coil in his lower belly was about to explode, Draco reached down to grasp his husband’s cock and began to stroke it firmly. Harry’s eyes flew open in lust and he started to thrust up into the Slytherin’s hand. Seconds later, he exploded, covering Draco’s fist and his own stomach with his precious seed. The sight of Harry orgasming and the contracting of his already tight arse sent Draco over the edge. He buried himself back into his husband one last time as he climaxed so hard that he saw stars. Draco collapsed onto Harry, resting his head on the Gryffindor’s chest, and carefully pulled his quickly softening cock from Harry’s body. Harry pulled the blankets around them and kissed the top of Draco’s head while carding his fingers through the blond’s sweat-soaked hair. Draco shifted so that he was lying along side Harry, his head never leaving its “pillow”.

As Draco’s breathing evened out, Harry whispered a cleaning charm over both of them. “Thanks,” the blond mumbled sleepily.

“Sleep, Love.” The blond nuzzled Harry’s chest once before falling into a deep, peaceful sleep with Harry following quickly.

***  _Twelve days later; Harry and Draco’s hotel room; 3:48PM Australian time._

Harry stiffly walked into the sitting room portion of their hotel room. He sat on the edge of the sofa, unblinking, for several minutes. “Harry?” Draco asked, concerned, from the arm chair where he’d been reading a letter from Severus. Harry didn’t respond. “a Thaisce?” Harry kept staring straight ahead, neither blinking nor responding to his husband. Draco tossed the letter aside quickly, sat down next to Harry and gently rested his hand on the Gryffindor’s forearm. It was only then that the brunette looked up. His eyes were wide and full of an emotion that Draco easily identified-it was a mixture of fear and excitement. “Harry, what’s wrong? Where’ve you been? You’ve been sick these past few days; you shouldn’t be sightseeing.”

“I went to see Madame Pomfrey,” Harry answered quietly.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were feeling so badly? We could have had the hotel recommend a healer to us!” Harry just shook his head. “Why are you shaking your head, Love?”

“I’m not sick.” Draco crinkled his nose.

“What?”

“I’m pregnant.” Draco’s jaw dropped.

“Wh-what?”

“Pregnant, Dray. We’re going to have a baby.” Harry was glowing. Draco didn’t thing before responding. He didn’t have to. He grasped Harry’s face with both hands and pulled him into a hard kiss.

“Pregnant?” he asked. Harry nodded and Draco beamed. “I love you, Harry.”

“I love you,” Harry whispered softly as he leaned in for a soft, loving kiss.

**Author's Note:**

> Last of my "old" stories, this was my first that was anything more than a one shot, and the first I wrote without my cousin as a co-author.
> 
> Nascha is Draco's owl. I've never seen a name in the books for his owl so I chose one myself. It is Native American for "owl".
> 
> a Thaisce means "My Treasure"-yes the "a" is supposed to be lower case and the "T" is supposed to be upper case.
> 
> I'm well aware that in the books and every other fic, Draco has grey or silver eyes. But this is MY fic and so I have made his eyes more blue than grey. Yes, there is still grey in them but there is a blue in them that stands out more.
> 
> "David Janes" is an OC. The name is of someone I truly know, but he is probably a Hufflepuff at best. Plus I have a feeling that he'll never come across this site, so I borrowed his name for a rather nasty character.
> 
> Translation to Ginny's explaination to Ron when he asked why she knew about Draco and Harry: "Harry wrote me a letter asking me to help with Draco’s Christmas present," 
> 
> Cavatelli: Pronounced Goh-v-a-deal. It's a heavy macaroni (pasta) that you know is done when it floats to the top of the water.
> 
> Cavatelli & broccoli: The macaroni mixed with broccoli that has been sautéed in butter, garlic and some chicken broth. It's very, very good!
> 
> Thomas Latrella is an OC whose name I...erm..."BORROWED" from a real, live person that I know.
> 
> Their vows: "Everyday I think that I couldn't possibly love you more. And then the next day comes and I find that I do." is from a fic that I can't remember. If it's your line, tell me so I can credit you!
> 
> "If I could have just one wish, I would wish to wake up everyday to the sound of your breath on my neck, the warmth of your lips on my cheek, the touch of your fingers on my skin and the feel of you heart beating with mine." ("One Wish" by ~*babygurl trixie~* at http://www.bloopdiary.com)
> 
> "Just three little words don't seem like enough for someone whose smile still brightens my day and whose touch can make me forget the rest of the world. They don't seem like enough for someone who's always here to celebrate with me when everything goes my way and to hold my hand when my whole world seems to fall apart. But even though "I Love You" can't express the depth of my feelings for you, I hope you know what's in my heart. Because loving you means more to me than anything in the world and it always will." ("I Love You" by ~*babygurl trixie~* at http://www.bloopdiary.com)
> 
> Ron's and Sev's speeches are each two traditional Irish toasts (there are 4 smushed in there total). The first one is the traditional Irish wedding toast and the other three I just really, really liked.


End file.
